A multimillion-dollar incentive scheme introduced by the Queensland Police Service (QPS) aimed to bolster frontline officer numbers but has come under scrutiny for significant loopholes. Launched in 2023 by former police minister Mark Ryan and then-police commissioner Katarina Carroll, the scheme offered $20,000 to attract officers from interstate and overseas, alongside another initiative to reduce university graduates’ HECS debts by the same amount.
However, nearly two years later, it’s revealed that the program lacked a minimum service requirement, allowing new recruits to accept the cash and resign shortly after without any obligation to repay the funds. Shane Prior, president of the Queensland Police Union, acknowledged the importance of developing such incentives but expressed disappointment in the apparent lack of due diligence in their implementation.
For comparison, a 2023 initiative aimed at retaining rural healthcare workers provided additional payments for each year of continued service in regional areas, although that program was scrapped in February. In contrast, the police incentive scheme remains active with $28 million initially allocated for up to 1,400 recruits. Payments are made in two installments: the first $10,000 upon graduating from an eight-month training program, and the second after completing a 12-month probationary period.
Police Minister Dan Purdie has acknowledged the potential for misuse within the system, noting that some recruits have taken advantage of the initial payment without fulfilling their commitments to the service. As of last month, 205 recruits had accessed the incentive, with 13 already leaving the service. Additionally, 55 officers received the HECS debt incentive, with one subsequently resigning.
Concerns persist regarding the rollout of second payments, which have only recently begun, with fears of further financial waste. Purdie indicated that retention data would be reviewed, suggesting that the terms of the incentive might need adjustment, stating: “Anyone who is taking the mickey out of Queensland taxpayers is unacceptable.”