Enterprise Agreement Bargaining and Pay Offer December 2025

On 09 December 2025, the Government made a formal pay offer as part of the current ACT Public Sector Enterprise Agreement bargaining.

Bargaining meetings commenced in August 2025 and the formal Government offer is based on extensive discussion and consideration of claims tabled as part of the negotiations.

Summary of Offer

• Three year agreement term with annual salary increases of 3%, 2.5% and 2%.
• Plus an increase to superannuation reaching 13% by the end of the agreement.
• More generous and inclusive leave entitlements, with improved flexibility, expanded support for employees, and the strengthening of existing provisions including:
  • Introduction of Paid Premature Birth Leave;
  • Reproductive Health Leave; and
  • Amending Religious Leave to also cover other cultural purposes.
• Removal of cap on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Leave.
• Improved leave and entitlements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees.

Pay Offer in Detail

The Government is proposing a three-year agreement term with annual salary increases of 3%, 2.5% and 2%, plus an increase to superannuation reaching 13% before the end of the agreement. This pay offer comprises percentage increases payable twice a year in July and February as outlined in the table below. This continues a pattern that will be familiar from recent agreements.

Agreement Year	Percentage Increase	Date of Increase
Year 1	3%	1.5% July 2026 1.5% February 2027
Year 2	2.5%	1.25% July 2027 1.25% February 2028
Year 3 Superannuation	2% +0.5% (reaching 13%)	1% July 2028 1% February 2029 1 January 2028

In addition to the pay offer, the Government has also progressed claims and further benefits and entitlements for our workforce.

Leading the Way on Leave Condition and Entitlements

The Government is also proposing to further increase benefits and entitlements, including:

• Remove the existing cap on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Leave, ensuring employees can access the leave they need without restriction. In addition, strengthen the range of supports available to employees experiencing, or have previously experienced these circumstances.
• Increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ceremonial leave, doubling the current leave entitlement to provide up to 10 days paid leave per year. In addition, new provisions will enable employees to work from Country following a ceremony or Sorry Business, fostering connection to Country.
• New supports and leave entitlements will be provided for parents who experience pregnancy loss.
• Introduce additional paid parental leave entitlements for premature birth ensuring employees continue to receive their full paid parental leave entitlement, by providing additional paid leave when a baby is born before 37 weeks’ gestation.
• Broaden the eligibility for Reproductive Leave and double the current leave entitlement, providing up to 10 days of paid leave per year.
• Extend existing Religious Leave to also cover other cultural purposes, with the entitlement increased to add one day of paid leave per year in addition to existing unpaid leave entitlements.
• Parental Leave changes from 1 July 2027 to consolidate leave types for ease of understanding and access, and to include:
  • the existing 24 weeks paid leave to birthing parents;
  • 18 weeks paid leave for non-birthing parents;
  • expanded access to parental leave for both parents, with the option to take leave concurrently and flexibly within a 24‑month period; and
  • Removal of the 12‑month service requirement for permanent employees to access the new Parental Leave entitlement.

These provisions will effectively triple the current ‘bonding leave’ available to non-birthing parents from 6 to 18 weeks. This means ACTPS staff will have more time to bond with their new baby and support their partner to recover from birth. The Workforce Gender Equality Agency insight paper: Designing and supporting gender equitable parental leave supports gender-neutral, flexible parental leave entitlements. Through this change, the Government is seeking to support gender equity in both the home and the workplace and contribute to closing the gender pay gap across our community.

We are also committed to improving flexibility and access to parental leave for birthing parents. The 12‑month service requirement does not currently apply to bonding leave. Removing this requirement from the new consolidated parental leave arrangements will mean birthing parents no longer have to wait longer than their non-birthing partners to access their parental leave entitlement.

The pay offer and the entitlement changes form part of the common core aspect (generally clauses A to M) of all ACT Public Sector agreements. Negotiations have been underway since August 2025 and have concentrated on reaching agreement on the common core entitlements. The Government has received over 250 claims and will provide feedback on these in the coming weeks.

Commitment to public service

The Government recognises the contribution you have made to the ACT Public Service. All areas across the Service have risen above and beyond and demonstrated that the Service is there to support Canberrans and improve our Territory. Through this offer, the Government is continuing to invest in you and the Service.

Next steps and further information

Now that the formal Government offer has been tabled, the ACT Government Bargaining Team will seek feedback on it from bargaining representatives as part of the ongoing negotiation meetings.

All claims from bargaining representatives received will continue to be assessed, many of which have been further developed with the drafting of clauses. The Government will respond to all claims and will continue to work collaboratively to finalise the common core.

If you have any questions about the offer, please contact the ACT Government Bargaining Team at eba.act.gov.au, your union, workplace delegate, or your relevant Directorate Human Resources area.