Joyce, Abbott given two extra staffers each
SCOTT Morrison has handed former party leaders Barnaby Joyce and Tony Abbott two extra staffers each costing the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of dollars.
NSW
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SCOTT Morrison has handed former party leaders Barnaby Joyce and Tony Abbott two extra staffers each costing the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The four adviser roles, which could cost the taxpayer upwards of $450,000 in salaries alone, came with the new positions as special envoys.
When the prime minister announced his new Cabinet he made Mr Joyce special envoy for drought and Mr Abbott for indigenous education.
The pair already get one additional staffer for being the former prime minister and deputy prime minister bolstering their employee numbers to three more than the average backbencher.
Labor as accused the prime minister of using the extra allocation of taxpayer funded resources to placate the outspoken MPs.
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A spokesman for Mr Joyce said that both staff were “flat out” dealing with phone calls, correspondence and inquiries.
The spokesman said the staffers were also organising meetings with farmers, business and community groups as well and government and reviewing policies.
Labor spokesman Don Farrell said Mr Morrison was using “staffing sweeteners to buy some breathing room from the outspoken Coalition cast-offs”.
Mr Farrell also said the government had refused to provide information about how many advisers were being paid above the established salary band.
“(Mr Morrison) is also continuing the Liberal tradition of hiding secret sweetheart deals used to top-up advisers’ pay packets with millions of extra dollars of taxpayers’ money,” he said.
“Liberal staff in government offices are paid above the rates relevant to their positions without any justification from the Government.”
A spokesman for the prime minister said special envoys need staff to support their additional work on the drought and Indigenous affairs.
“Labor should be embarrassed they’re attacking staff rather than using Parliament to ask about issues that affect everyday Australians,” the spokesman said.
The Daily Telegraph has contacted Mr Abbott and Mr Morrison for comment.