Parliament clerk payrises in spotlight after eyewatering salary boosts
Senior state parliament staff who scored eyewatering payrises last year were also in line for a second major boost last year, it can be revealed.
SA News
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State parliamentary clerks were offered another payrise after they received an eyewatering boost of nearly $100,000 last financial year – but there are moves to have their salaries independently determined in future.
The Advertiser revealed earlier this month that total remuneration for clerks Rick Crump and Chris Schwarz had risen from $248,946 to about $337,000 in 2022-23.
For deputy clerks David Pegram and Guy Dickson, the figure rose from $178,675 to about $265,000.
Only base amounts of their new salaries were supplied but The Advertiser added 11 per cent to account for superannuation, making the before and after figures comparable.
Correspondence between the clerks and presiding officers of parliament – Lower House Speaker Dan Cregan and Upper House President Terry Stephens – revealed there were discussions about another pay rise late last year.
In the correspondence, released to Greens MLC Tammy Franks under Freedom of Information, Mr Cregan and Mr Stephens told the clerks another big payrise would be inappropriate.
“In view of the recent and significant increase in remuneration for the clerks, we believe it would be out of step with community expectations to give effect to another significant increase in December 2023,” a letter from the pair said.
But the 4 per cent they recommended for the clerks from January 1, 2024 would still amount to about $13,000 and take them to the $350,000 mark – and that’s not including what the presiding officers called “performance-based recognition” on top.
The clerks would not tell The Advertiser what pay rise they had asked for.
Mr Cregan and Mr Stephens told the clerks another salary review would be conducted after the clerks have implemented recommendations with respect to workplace culture, including those of the Equal Opportunity Commissioner.
A 2021 review by the commissioner found sexual harassment was prevalent in the parliamentary workplace and made 16 recommendations – but they have still not been fully implemented.
Revelations earlier this month that the clerks and deputy clerks had received massive payrises despite the outstanding recommendations drew criticism from some MPs, including Ms Franks who questioned “shouldn’t that have been a basic KPI (key performance indicator)?”
She will now introduce a private members’ bill to make setting the pay of the clerks a responsibility of the state’s Remuneration Tribunal.
“South Australians rightfully expect the parliament to employ staff and operate the workplace by modern and transparent means,” she said.
“That means executive level position salaries should be set by an independent remuneration tribunal, not still be done the way they were back in 1857.”
In a statement, the clerks and deputy clerks said the current mechanism for establishing the clerks’ and deputy clerks’ salaries in South Australia was consistent with a number of interstate jurisdictions.
“However, we would welcome the opportunity to go down the Remuneration Tribunal path which is consistent with several other interstate jurisdictions,” they said.
“In respect to the current clerk and deputy clerk salary negotiations involving the presiding officers, they remain ongoing and confidential.”
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