Home › Northern Territory doctor pay › Consultants
NT Staff Specialist Pay 2026–27
NT Health calls consultant-level specialist doctors 'Staff Specialists' (SMO1 classification) and 'Senior Staff Specialists' (SMO2). Salary figures are transcribed from Schedule 1 of the Medical Officers (Northern Territory Public Sector) 2022–2025 Enterprise Agreement and match the NT Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment (OCPE) rates of pay page.
Last updated: 29 July 2026
By Jacob Stretton, RN & final-year medical student · figures sourced from the public EBAs & the ATO · About & methodology →
Key takeaways
$213,380–$298,705Base salary from SMO1.1 to SMO2.3 under Schedule 1 of the Medical Officers (NTPS) 2022–2025 EA, rates from 1 January 2025.
+50% of baseCategory B private practice election: a fortnightly allowance in return for assigning all private billings to the department (EA cl 22).
30% + half your billingsCategory C election: 30% of base plus 50% of your own private billings to a $100,000 maximum per financial year, paid monthly. That maximum is inclusive of the superannuation guarantee due on the revenue payments, so the cash share is smaller (cl 22.13(c)).
$22,251–$29,670Professional Development Allowance per year in cash: $22,251 at SMO1, $29,670 at SMO2, plus 10 days of professional development leave.
$1,811 flatAnnual leave loading for 2026: the cap tied to NT average weekly earnings applies at specialist salaries, not the 17.5% rate (Determination 1 of 2026).
- Annual leave is 6 weeks: 4 weeks plus 2 additional weeks for being stationed in the NT (cl 59.2). An extra week beyond that accrues only to seven-day shiftworkers.
- Regional and remote work pays an attraction allowance of $14,836 to $44,502 a year by locality, plus a separate retention lump sum of $22,251 to $44,502 after each completed 12 months.
- A seven-day extended-hours roster attracts an Extended Hours Benefit of 25% of base salary (cl 26).
The award / agreement behind these rates
These salaried rates come from Medical Officers (NTPS) 2022–2025 Enterprise Agreement (Schedule 1 salary rates), read together with the determinations and bulletins listed under Sources. It sets the staff specialist salary scale, allowances, on-call rates and private-practice arrangements:
Which model applies?
Most Northern Territory specialists work as Staff Specialists, VMOs, or hold concurrent appointments across both models. For a national overview of how the two employment models differ on pay, leave, super and private practice, see staff specialist vs VMO explained.
Staff Specialist
Salaried employee of NT Health on the published SMO1 (6 steps) and SMO2 (3 steps) scale (EA Schedule 1, mirrored on the OCPE rates page). A private practice election adds 30–50% of base salary (Categories B/C).
Jump to Staff Specialist ↓Visiting Medical Officer (VMO)
NT Health publishes no VMO instrument or sessional rate schedule, so your engagement terms, including any leave and superannuation, are set in your individual contract.
Jump to VMO ↓Staff Specialist salary
NT uses a year-based increment scale within two tiers: SMO1 (Staff Specialist, 6 steps) and SMO2 (Senior Staff Specialist, 3 steps).
| Grade | Base salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Specialist SMO1.1 | $213,380 | Entry level for Fellowship-qualified specialists. |
| Staff Specialist SMO1.2 | $222,924 | |
| Staff Specialist SMO1.3 | $232,468 | |
| Staff Specialist SMO1.4 | $242,013 | |
| Staff Specialist SMO1.5 | $251,554 | |
| Staff Specialist SMO1.6 | $261,100 | Top of SMO1 scale. |
| Senior Staff Specialist SMO2.1 | $270,033 | |
| Senior Staff Specialist SMO2.2 | $284,367 | |
| Senior Staff Specialist SMO2.3 | $298,705 | Top of SMO2 scale. |
The Professional Development Allowance is paid fortnightly in cash and is not superannuable, and it sits outside penalty and overtime calculations (cl 34, Schedule 1).
Data note: Salary figures are the Schedule 1 column commencing the first pay period on or after 1 January 2025. The 2022–2025 EA passed its nominal expiry on 31 December 2025 but continues to operate under the Fair Work Act while a replacement agreement is negotiated; check the OCPE negotiations page before relying on these rates long term.
Private practice
Staff and Senior Staff Specialist Clinicians credentialed for clinical duties in 75% of their employment elect one of three private practice categories (EA cl 22); the election can change once per financial year, effective from the next. The EA records a completed review of the model, with a new model to be formalised during its term, so expect the categories to change under the replacement agreement.
The three categories
| Election | Cash effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Category A | Trust-fund distributions | Salary plus earnings distributed through the private practice trust fund under that fund's rules; no fixed formula. |
| Category B | +50% of base salary | Fortnightly allowance in return for assigning all private billings to the department. |
| Category C | +30% of base + billings share | Fortnightly 30% allowance plus 50% of your own private billings to a maximum of $100,000 per financial year, and that maximum is inclusive of the superannuation guarantee due on those revenue payments (cl 22.13(c)). The revenue share is paid monthly in arrears on the prior period's billings unless the Health Service sets a longer period, which cannot exceed quarterly (cl 22.13(a) and (b)). |
On-call, callback & penalty rates
| Payment type | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| On-call – Immediate Roster (remain on site) | 21% of your hourly salary | Per hour of standby (EA cl 48.8(a)). |
| On-call – First Roster (contactable, return if required) | $5.02/hour | Determination 1 of 2026 (re-issued 9 April 2026); adjusted each January by Darwin CPI and never reduced (EA cl 48.8(b)). |
| Call-back while on First Roster (hourly base, not the payable rate) | $116–$139/hr (SMO1), $144–$158/hr (SMO2) | This Specialist Fixed Hourly Call Back Rate replaces the salary-derived hourly rate in cl 45.15, and the overtime penalty then runs on it: 150% on weekdays, 200% Saturday and Sunday, 250% public holidays (cl 45.16, Schedule 1 column from 1 January 2025). An SMO1.1 recalled on a Sunday is paid 200% of $116, or $232 an hour, with the 3-hour minimum that applies to overtime worked in a restriction situation (cl 45.20). |
| Clinical advice by telephone | $190/night or $229/day-night | Flat rate inclusive of all calls during the restriction period (cl 48.8(c), Schedule 1). |
| Second Roster (phone-advice roster) | $42,677/year | Annual allowance of 20% of the SMO1.1 salary. It covers advice calls, returns to duty and travel; no overtime is payable on Second Roster (cl 45.4(b), cl 48.8(d)). |
| Overtime (Immediate Roster, First Roster and phone-advice specialists) | 150% weekdays, 200% Sat/Sun, 250% public holidays | Flat rates on duty beyond an average 38 h/week, with no 2-hour step. Minimum 4 hours for each separate attendance not continuous with ordinary duty (cl 45). |
| Weekend & public holiday duty (rostered ordinary hours) | +50% Saturday, +100% Sunday, +150% public holiday | Additional to the ordinary rate, so all-in 150%/200%/250% for ordinary (non-overtime) duty. If you are not a shiftworker as defined in cl 44.5(d), the Saturday 50% applies with no rotating-shift test (cl 44.2(a)), Sunday is +100% (cl 44.3(b)) and a public holiday is +150% with a minimum extra payment of 4 hours for each separate attendance outside a restriction situation (cl 44.4(b) and (c)); the alternating or rotating shift test in cl 44.6(b) limits only the shiftworker Saturday loading in cl 44.6(a)(iv). |
| Managerial allowance (sub-unit, unit and department heads) | $7,419 / $22,251 / $29,670 / $37,087 a year | Levels 1 to 4 (Sub Unit Head, Unit Head, Territory-wide responsibility, Co-Director) for a senior Medical Officer appointed by the CEO to the role and performing its full scope, rates from 1 January 2025. The levels are not cumulative, the allowance can be withdrawn on one month's notice, and it counts as salary for all purposes (cl 24, Schedule 1). |
| Extended Hours Benefit | 25% of base salary | For Senior/Staff Specialists required to provide extended ordinary-hours coverage 0800–2200 seven days per week (cl 26). |
| Annual leave loading | $1,811/year (2026) | Lesser of 17.5% or a capped amount tied to NT average weekly earnings; the cap applies at specialist salaries and is re-set each January (cl 61; By-law 5, Determination 1 of 2026). |
Regional and remote payments
Attraction and retention by locality level, rates from 1 January 2025
| Level | Locality | Attraction allowance/yr | Retention payment (after 12 months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Residing in Darwin | $14,836 | $22,251 |
| Level 2 | Katherine, Alice Springs or Nhulunbuy | $29,670 | $37,087 |
| Level 3 | Tennant Creek or remote communities | $44,502 | $44,502 |
Both are payable for performing the majority of your duties in regional and remote areas, and the retention payment is a lump sum after each completed 12 months of service (EA cl 29, Schedule 1). Senior Staff Specialists (SMO2) also receive a $29,670 rural allowance (cl 30), and housing and airfare assistance in declared remote localities is negotiated with NT Health on top.
VMO sessional rates
NT publishes no state-wide VMO sessional rate: sessional terms, including any on-call or callback entitlement, are negotiated individually with NT Health Medical Workforce. Most NT specialists work as salaried Staff Specialists, so the VMO model is less common here.
| Service type | Rate per session (4 h) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General / non-procedural | Negotiated individually | Standard Award penalty rates do not apply to negotiated sessions. |
| Procedural / specialist | Negotiated individually | Remote area work may attract additional allowances. |
Fee-for-service VMOs billing Medicare directly are not subject to NT Health sessional arrangements. Remote area airfare assistance is available for employees in declared remote localities.
Staff Specialist vs VMO
| Feature | Staff Specialist | VMO |
|---|---|---|
| Employment type | Salaried employee of NT Health | Sessional contractor (individually negotiated) |
| Pay scale | SMO1.1–1.6, SMO2.1–2.3 (EA Schedule 1 = OCPE rates page) | Individually negotiated |
| Private practice | Category A/B/C election: B adds 50% of base; C adds 30% of base + half of billings to a $100k/FY maximum that is inclusive of super | Bills privately or negotiated with NT Health |
| Annual leave | 6 weeks (4 + 2 NT-stationed; an extra week for seven-day shiftworkers only) | No; self-funded |
| Leave loading | $1,811 in 2026: capped, re-set each January (not 17.5% at specialist salaries) | N/A |
| Sick leave | Paid | No |
| Superannuation | Statutory guarantee (12%), paid up to the maximum contribution base | Self-funded |
| On-call | $5.02/hr First Roster; 21% of salary Immediate Roster (EA cl 48.8; Determination 1 of 2026) | Negotiated |
| Relocation assistance | Yes; varies by position and origin | N/A |
| Insurance | WorkCover covered by employer | Self-funded medical indemnity + income protection |
| Career progression | SMO1.1 → SMO1.6 → SMO2.3 | No set progression |
| Salary packaging | ~$9,010 FBT-free (public hospital; verify NT remote area provisions with NT Health) | Not applicable |
Frequently asked questions
How much annual leave do NT Staff Specialists get?
6 weeks: 4 weeks paid recreation leave plus 2 additional weeks for being normally stationed in the Northern Territory (EA cl 59.2). A further 7 consecutive days accrues only to seven-day shiftworkers (or half a day per rostered Sunday if you are rostered on fewer than 10 Sundays a year), so a standard Monday–Friday consultant receives 6 weeks, not 7.
How do the private practice categories work?
You elect Category A, B or C once per financial year, effective from the next (EA cl 22); the three categories are set out in the table above. Category C pays more than Category B only when your half share of billings exceeds the 20%-of-base difference between them, and that half share is capped at $100,000 a financial year inclusive of the superannuation guarantee due on it (cl 22.13(c)).
What superannuation do NT Staff Specialists get?
The EA commits the employer to the minimum superannuation contributions required by Commonwealth legislation (the statutory superannuation guarantee, 12%), paid up to the maximum contribution base even if your ordinary time earnings exceed it (cl 20). Members of the legacy CSS, NTGPASS or NTSSS schemes retain their scheme rules. Note that some allowances (such as the Professional Development Allowance) are not superannuable.
Is the 2022–2025 EA still current or has a new agreement been negotiated?
The 2022–2025 EA passed its nominal expiry date of 31 December 2025 but continues to operate under the Fair Work Act until replaced. Bargaining for a replacement agreement began in September 2025, an offer for a new agreement was issued in December 2025, and a proposed Medical Officers NTPS 2026–2029 EA has since been put to employees. Until a replacement is approved, the rates on this page (the Schedule 1 column effective from 1 January 2025) remain the published rates on the OCPE site. Check the OCPE negotiations page for the latest bulletins.
Are there financial incentives for remote area work in the NT?
Yes. A Regional and Remote Attraction Allowance and a separate Regional and Remote Retention Payment are both quantified by locality level in the EA (cl 29, Schedule 1, rates from 1 January 2025); the amounts are in the regional and remote payments table above.
I'm considering a joint appointment at CDU or Menzies: how does that affect my pay?
Joint appointments with Charles Darwin University or the Menzies School of Health Research are available for some specialties. Pay arrangements for joint appointments are set individually and may combine an NT Health clinical salary with a CDU or Menzies academic component. Contact both institutions' HR departments to understand the full package before applying.