Why Chris Minns gave Police Minister Yasmin Catley a huge promotion

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley has joined the exclusive ranks of “senior minister” – see how much more she’ll now earn.

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Premier Chris Minns has quietly handed out a massive pay rise as part of a factional fix, giving an extra $17,258 per year to Police Minister Yasmin Catley – one of Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s biggest backers.

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal that Ms Catley is now earning an annual salary of more than $333,000 per year, excluding her electoral allowance, after Mr Minns elevated her to the elite ranks of “senior ministers”.

Mr Minns promoted Ms Catley to the “senior minister” position as part of a reshuffle triggered when Jo Haylen was forced to resign as Transport Minister over the ministerial drivers scandal.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley during Question Time at state parliament on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

The extra title comes with extra cash and more staff, but Ms Catley has had no extra duties added to her list of portfolio responsibilities.

Ms Catley’s one-off 5.5 per cent pay rise is about a third of the 15 per cent pay rise NSW nurses and midwives are campaigning for.

However, it is far below the historic wage deal Ms Catley landed for cops, some of whom will get a pay rise of between of between 22.3 per cent and 39.4 per cent.

Members of parliament get a base yearly salary of $172,576, with ministers earning an extra $98,368 on top of that. Six “senior ministers” earn $115,626 above the base MP rate. All of those figures exclude MPs electoral allowances.

Ms Catley got a massive pay rise earlier this month. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Ms Catley is now earning $83,368 less than the Premier, who ­commands a salary of $416,440.

Labor sources believed Ms Catley’s promotion was a factional fix, to replace Ms Haylen – a fellow left-winger – in the “senior ministry”.

”She got put in the executive to take Jo Haylen’s place,” one MP said.

The promotion comes after Ms Catley weathered multiple scandals, including the saga over Police Commissioner Karen Webb handing out gifts of taxpayer-funded gin. While some government sources say that Ms Catley’s performance in the ministry has vastly improved after a shaky start, some in Labor privately said her promotion was undeserved.

“She was only just on her last legs,” one said.

Ms Catley has joined six of her colleagues in the ranks of “senior minister” – Deputy Premier Prue Car, government upper house leader Penny Sharpe, Transport Minister John Graham, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, and Health Minister Ryan Park.

The Saturday Telegraph understands that Mr Minns was considering a larger reshuffle to fill the gaps after Ms Haylen quit the Ministry, but opted against it to avoid risking internal party unity.

He ended up promoting veteran MP Janelle Saffin into cabinet as Recovery Minister.

Ms Catley’s initial appointment as Police Minister surprised her colleagues, as the Swansea MP was one of former Labor Leader Jodi McKay’s biggest backers.

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley and Police Commissioner Karen Webb appear before budget estimates in state parliament. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Ms Catley has joined six of her colleagues in the ranks of “senior minister” – Deputy Premier Prue Car, government upper house leader Penny Sharpe, Transport Minister John Graham, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, and Health Minister Ryan Park.

The Saturday Telegraph understands that Mr Minns was considering a larger reshuffle to fill the gaps after Ms Haylen quit the Ministry, but opted against it to avoid risking internal party unity.

He ended up promoting veteran MP Janelle Saffin into cabinet as Recovery Minister.

Ms Catley’s initial appointment as Police Minister surprised her colleagues, as the Swansea MP was one of former Labor Leader Jodi McKay’s biggest backers.

Originally published as Why Chris Minns gave Police Minister Yasmin Catley a huge promotion