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Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has asked his Northern Territory counterpart for a please explain, after learning of their recruitment drive in New Zealand.
Australia's Northern Territory Police are renewing their push to recruit Kiwi officers, with a team heading to Auckland, Rotorua, Napier, Wellington and Christchurch in the next few weeks.
Chambers said he would have appreciated the courtesy of a heads up by phone call first.
"Well, interestingly enough, I was in Hobart last week for a meeting with all the police commissioners across Australia," he told Morning Report.
"When I learnt of Northern Territory coming back out here, I said 'please explain why are you coming over here and poaching my colleagues?' And the answer was pretty honest actually.
"They said that was because New Zealand produces such incredible police officers and that's why they're doing it Ingrid."
He said he could understand that, but wished they would put as much effort into growing and recruiting over there.
Chambers said there had always been a bit of competitive fun between Australia and New Zealand, but he would've appreciated a courtesy call.
It comes as Chambers is featured in a YouTube advertisement aimed at bringing New Zealand officers home from Australia.
He said 16 have reached out following the ad's release.
"Look, I think that many do get lured over to Australia because of the money," Chambers said. "But frankly, that's about it really because what I'm hearing, and I've spoken to many staff who are coming home, they miss home, they miss their family, their friends, they miss New Zealand.
"Their experience in policing in Australia says to me they don't have the same camaraderie that we have. Some of them have said to me they feel like they lack the support from bosses and some of the conditions that they find themselves working in Australia are pretty harsh.
"I appreciate the money is one thing, but actually, there's a lot more to policing than just that and some aren't enjoying the remoteness or the isolation and the pretty hard working conditions that they encounter."
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers. Photo: Calvin Samuel / RNZ
Northern Territory Police recruiter Serge Bouma said officers could make about $130,000 a year.
He told Morning Report they already had some interest - with 21 people on their books.
"That's not to say everyone will potentially make it all the way through the process, but they're the ones we'll be interviewing," he said.
"We've also got quite a few people who aren't currently police in New Zealand, but are interested in becoming police with us or in Australia.
"We'll be interviewing those as well. So, it's about a 50/50 mix in that regard. Certainly, a fair bit of interest there already."
Bouma said they generally take 24 Accelerated Recruitment Program applicants for every squad that they run, which is about two a year.
He said typically two thirds of those had been sourced from New Zealand over the last couple of years.
Bouma said every sworn member at the Constable rank or above are supplied housing.
"Anyone that comes over, we will supply housing, so a head leased house where we pay the rent," he said.
As an alternative, if people want to, they can take our housing allowance, which is $31,847 currently per annum paid per fortnight on top of your salary.
"As an example, a person with 10-year service in New Zealand will get that housing allowance, obviously, from day one. So, for that three and a half, four months in training, the base rate of salary is 95,000 Australian.
"But as soon as they finish training, they get a consolidated shift allowance, they get general duties allowance, which pushes that up to just shy of 122,000 Australian, so about 132,000 New Zealand."
Bouma said that was supplemented with things like overtime.
He said they were in New Zealand to interview existing applicants, but it was also a opportunity to speak to people who may have interest.
"We've booked in an info session at each location, and there we'll basically just have a chat to people," he said.
"We'll give them a little short presentation, and then we'll talk about our own experiences in the Northern Territory and take any questions. Obviously, the Northern Territory is quite a unique place, even for Australia.
"There's lots of things that you need to be aware of in terms of climate, some of the isolation and things of that nature, and also just the job in general and the benefits that it provides."
Bouma said Kiwi cops were very passionate and loved their job.
He said many are just looking for something and somewhere different, which they offered.
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