Media Release: APS bargaining pay offer

Chief Negotiator tables proposed Australia Public Service (APS) pay package

13 October 2026

APS Chief Negotiator Alison Stott has today tabled the Commonwealth’s proposed pay package as part of APS-wide bargaining. The package includes guaranteed pay rises for eligible APS employees over the next three years and further measures to support greater consistency in pay across the Australian Public Service (APS).

The proposed pay package includes:

• guaranteed pay rises totalling 9% over three years, comprising:
  • 3.2% from March 2027, or the commencement of your new enterprise agreement (whichever is later)
  • 3.0% from March 2028
  • 2.8% from March 2029
• additional increases of up to 0.5% each year in some lower-paid salary ranges within some agencies, or up to 1.5% over the life of the agreement
• a new minimum pay point increase of 3.0% for eligible employees progressing through their salary range where their existing advancement increase is lower than 3.0%.

This proposal builds on the work from the previous bargaining round to increase consistency in pay across APS agencies and support more consistent salary advancement.

The proposed pay rises provide certainty about salary increases over the next three years and are above the 2 and half per cent CPI per annum inflation rate projected in the 2026–27 Budget over a similar period.

This measure will uplift at least one classification in 101 out of 110 agencies (92% of agencies). Greater consistency in APS salaries can support more comparable pay outcomes, make it easier for employees to move between agencies and help the APS attract and retain capability. By the end of the agreement, approximately 38% of maximum pay points and 45% of minimum pay points would have received increases above the headline pay offer.

Salary advancement increments will be realigned, so when an eligible employee progresses to the next salary point in their range, that increase will be at least 3.0%, within the range. Where an agency already provides a salary advancement increase above 3.0%, those arrangements will continue. This increases commonality across the APS and means APS employees can progress more consistently through their salary range.

For eligible employees, the additional salary uplifts and salary advancement increase will apply on top of the annual pay rises.

Progress is being made across the broader bargaining package. Some of the proposed improvements include retained flexible working arrangements, modernising superannuation arrangements (including superannuation payments during unpaid parental leave) reduced qualifying periods for higher duties allowance, stronger leave portability when joining the APS from another government employer, expanded re-crediting of leave and updated Defence service sick leave provisions.

Since APS-wide bargaining commenced in July, the Chief Negotiator and Bargaining Taskforce steady progress has been made through regular meetings with unions and individual bargaining representatives. These discussions have informed the Commonwealth’s preliminary positions and provided an opportunity to hear directly about the issues that matter to employees.

More than 39,000 employees participated in the 2026 APS Employment Conditions Survey, with 79% identifying base salary as a condition that matters most when deciding whether to join or remain in the APS.

This proposal has been developed carefully, considering what employees and bargaining representatives have told us, alongside workforce needs, economic conditions and the need for a sustainable outcome across the APS.

Further information about the proposed pay package, including salary examples and the pay calculator, as well as other proposals being considered through APS-wide bargaining, are available on the APSC website.

The proposals remain subject to negotiation through the bargaining process with all bargaining representatives.

Quotes attributable to APS Chief Negotiator Alison Stott:

“This proposal delivers guaranteed pay rises while also increasing consistency in pay between agencies and creating more consistent salary advancement across the APS.”

“For eligible employees, the additional salary uplifts and advancement changes mean increases above the headline pay rise.”

"We’re building on the work of the previous bargaining round to increase commonality across APS agencies.  This measure will uplift at least one classification in 92% of agencies.”

“This pay is part of an overall package of conditions. These are preliminary positions within this package, not agreed outcomes. Bargaining is continuing and we will keep working with unions and individual bargaining representatives in good faith.”