Remuneration Tribunal boss is a good friend of Premier Jay Weatherill

THE man who has handed South Australian politicians hefty pay rises is an old friend of Premier Jay Weatherill, who singled him out as an “important influence’’ during his maiden speech in 2002.

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The man who has handed South Australian politicians hefty pay rises is an old friend of Premier Jay Weatherill, who singled him out as an “important influence’’ during his maiden speech in 2002.

John Lewin, who is a national Fair Work commissioner, was appointed as chairman of the Remuneration Tribunal in October and has a long association with Mr Weatherill that dates back to when they both worked at the Australian Workers’ Union.

Earlier this year, Mr Weatherill said Mr Lewin was a “good friend’’ but he was also the best person for the job.

“He is also extremely well qualified to lead the state’s remuneration tribunal given his nearly 30 years as a commissioner with the nation’s industrial relations tribunal,’’ he said.

In the Governor’s speech to parliament in February, the Government flagged its intention to review the pay and benefits available to MPs.

The speech said the Remuneration Tribunal would conduct the review, which would be “transparent and independently determined’’.

Mr Lewin leads the tribunal, which has two other members — former police association chief Peter Alexander and Leaders Institute chief executive Niki Vincent.

In his maiden speech in May 2002, Mr Weatherill said ‘John (Lewin) shaped my early development as an advocate’’.

Mr Lewin was a senior industrial officer at the Australian Workers’ Union, where he worked with Mr Weatherill.

Mr Lewin is now a Fair Work commissioner but made his name as a powerful player in the ALP’s left faction in the 1980s and served on the party’s national executive.

Opposition treasury spokesman Rob Lucas said “the Government appoints all members of the Remuneration Tribunal and we have no concerns with their capacity to handle the job”.