Premier’s energy adviser Paul Broad only has to work 20 days

He was hired to advise Premier Dominic Perrottet on energy matters, but secret contract details reveal former Snowy Hydro boss Paul Broad only has to work 20 days.

Secret contract details have revealed former Snowy Hydro boss Paul Broad is being paid the top ministerial adviser ­salary to work for Premier ­Dominic Perrottet for just 20 days.

Mr Perrottet revealed in November that he had employed the energy veteran as a “special adviser” on power issues.

It can now be revealed Mr Broad only has to be available to advise Mr Perrottet between November 10 — when he was hired — to the election date of March 24 on no more than 20 days to meet his contractual obligations.

As for what Mr Broad is being paid, it is understood to be the pro rata equivalent of the highest allowable rate a ministerial adviser is able to earn in NSW.

Advisers on the highest rate — known as “band 7” — earn between $266,000 and $354,000 per annum.

Paul Broad (centre) in 2019 when he was Snowy Hydro boss, with then-PM Scott Morrison (left) and then-finance minister Mathias Cormann. Picture: Kym Smith

While the exact figure is ­redacted, Mr Broad is believed to be collecting the pro rata equivalent of the upper amount.

However, this is a significant pay cut, given the $2.25 million Mr Broad was earning when he was working as Snowy Hydro chief executive.

Mr Broad is not the only NSW government adviser on a lucrative band 7 salary — the latest ministerial staffing ­figures show eight chiefs-of-staff are also collecting top dollar, including those in the offices of Nationals leader Paul Toole, Treasurer Matt Kean and Attorney-General Alister Henskens.

The figures show the total number of government spin-doctors, chiefs-of-staff and other office staff working for the Perrottet government ministry is 228.

In December 2021 – just after former premier Gladys Berejiklian resigned – there were just over 179 staff recorded working in the ministry.

However, in the lead-up to the 2019 March state election, the Berejiklian ministry was also beefed up, with more than 220 staff.

Along with Mr Broad, Mr Perrottet has also enlisted former prime minister Scott Morrison’s chief political strategist Yaron Finkelstein as part of bolstering his office in the lead-up to the election.

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