Government Advertising and Insights Hub executive director to earn between $257,462 and $429,104

South Australian taxpayers are being asked to hire a new official chief spin doctor who will earn a top end salary worth almost as much as the Premier and double the private sector.

• Row erupts over taxpayer funded spin doctor

South Australian taxpayers are being asked to hire a new official chief spin doctor who will earn a top end salary twice that of the private sector and rivalling the Premier.

The Department of Premier and Cabinet is advertising for a Government Advertising and Insights Hub executive director, which will pay between $257,462 and $429,104 for three years.

A political row erupted on Tuesday over the specially created “high-profile” state government leadership role paying almost as much as Premier Peter Malinauskas’ $436,000 salary.

The opposition, which asked questions in parliament on Tuesday, criticised the job as “tone deaf” during a cost of living crisis.

But Mr Malinauskas, who the Liberals dubbed “Mali from marketing”, told MPs a new centralised unit was reasonable and responsible public spending after an internal review recommended the changes.

SA Liberal Leader Vincent Tarzia shakes hands with Premier Peter Malinauskas during the Black by-election at Woodend Primary School, Sheidow Park. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Industry sources said a similar private sector job pays $180,000, meaning the proposed city-based public service bureaucrat, for a yet to be launched advertising unit, would earn a higher remuneration than chief executives of several public service agencies.

Records show taxpayers paid $52,170 to BDO Services to review hub plans before its launch in early 2025.

Outgoing DPC chief executive Damien Walker, whose department will manage the unit, earns $760,035.

Recreation and Sport chief executive Kylie Taylor earns $298,486, SA Productivity Commission boss Steve Whetton earns $343,489 and Premier’s Delivery Unit head Rik Morris is paid $386,173.

Opposition leader, Vincent Tarzia, attacked an “arrogant and hypocritical” government.

“At a time where South Australians are skipping meals to pay their bills, and small businesses are struggling with sky high costs, this simply doesn’t meet the pub test,” he said.

Liberal government accountability spokesman, Ben Hood, added: “Funnelling public money into their propaganda machine is just business as usual for Labor.

“The priorities of Mali from marketing are clear – spin first, South Australians last.”

Mr Malinauskas told parliament the new hub changed government advertising on various issues into one unit to save money while the department handled all “merit” based hiring.

“It is not just the ads that tend to cause a degree of consternation … it is also advertising for recruitment for jobs, public health messaging, what we do around road safety, police messaging – you name it,” he said.

He said without being “pejorative” about good intentioned public spending, he questioned advertising such as “public messaging that hot water comes out of hot taps”.

“This sort of over-the-top, trying to find an excuse for a public campaign where it might not be necessary — I think just invites an inquiry of examination,” he said.

“The government has undertaken (this) and now we are bringing in a consolidated effort.

“I think it is a responsible (and) reasonable course of action.”

The premier’s spokesman declined further comment outside parliament.

A DPC spokesman on Tuesday night said the unit would save money because it will be a more “effective and efficient” taxpayer system that will minimise duplication or overlap.

He said the salary band “is very broad, however this position and the skills required will see the role attract the lower end”.

Advertising spending has reduced by almost a fifth this financial year, he added.