Before launching into that, I want to thank you all for the commitment and resilience you demonstrated in 2025. It was a tough year and understandably left many members questioning their faith in Police and worrying about the public’s perception of them as people and trusted professionals. You carried yourselves with distinction and can take great pride in that.

The year ahead brings other challenges of a more familiar ilk: pay rounds, politics and legislative reforms.

Top of the list is implementing a pay framework with fewer steps and better recognition of the value and uniqueness of policing roles. A remuneration design group (RDG) involving the association and Police has completed the discovery and scoping phase and is ready to move onto the more substantial review of the framework and building the proposed model. You can expect regular updates on progress from the Police Association and Police.

The managers and constabulary collective agreements expire on July 1, and I am hearing loud and clear that you expect new agreements that enable you to pay your bills and get by in what is still a tough economic climate. Hardly an unreasonable expectation given the value and commitment you put into the mahi you deliver.

Given the enormity of these pieces of work, the area committee annual meeting will be held earlier than usual – in March and April.

We are already involved in helping shape key legislative changes that will impact directly on your work environment via submissions on the Crimes Act Amendment Bill and updates to the Arms Bill – moves the association has long been vocal on. The key proposed changes to the Crimes Act involve expansion of public powers around citizen arrests (what could possibly go wrong?), and the Arms Bill includes shifting the Firearms Authority outside of Police, and confirmation that tight restrictions on military-style semi-automatic firearms (MSSAs) will remain.

Finally, in case you have forgotten, 2026 is an election year and policing is always political fodder. The association stays clear of that by supporting policies, not parties. We will continue to engage with MPs to ensure they understand the relentless pressures on members and that they acknowledge their own responsibility to support you throughout the political cycle, not just for election-time votes.