Revealed: Senior NSW public services staffers rake in huge pay rises, with salaries that rival the Prime Minister’s or NSW Premier’s
ONE public service fat cat pocketed a pay rise worth almost as much as the average wage this year, as NSW public service executives scored generous rises across the board.
NSW
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ONE fat cat pocketed a pay rise worth almost as much as the average wage this year, as NSW public service executives scored generous rises across the board.
Treasury secretary Rob Whitfield, who quit in July, received a $77,433 pay rise during the 2016-17 financial year, rivalling the average wage of $80,236.
Pay rises for frontline public servants — including police, nurses and teachers — are capped at 2.5 per cent but most bureaucratic bosses enjoyed salary increases that outstripped inflation.
Dozens of NSW bureaucrats now earn more than Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s salary of $387,600 while most departmental chiefs pocket more than Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s $527,854 salary.
Public Service Association general secretary Stewart Little said the Berejiklian government was “shrinking the public sector while giving the fat cats at the helm massive pay rises’’.
“In the last 10 years the salaries of fat cats have gone through the roof,’’ Mr Little said yesterday.
“It’s different in the private sector, where they’d be held accountable to shareholders, but in the public sector they are paid with taxpayer dollars from the public purse.’’
The 12.3 per cent pay jump for former Treasury secretary Mr Whitfield boosted his salary to $627,433. It was, however, still a fraction of the $5 million salary he earned in his old job at Westpac banker.
Incoming Treasury secretary Michael Pratt will earn a base wage of $563,750 this financial year, plus a 12 per cent bonus that could inflate his salary to $631,400.
Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Blair Comley, who retired last month, earned $649,640 last financial year after scoring a 4.5 per cent pay rise of $27,916.
The new Premier and Cabinet secretary, Tim Reardon, will earn an even higher base salary of $613,750, plus a bonus of up to $73,650 — boosting his potential total pay to $687,400.
Health Department secretary Elizabeth Koff earned $541,600, after a 6.2 per cent pay rise of $31,850, a figure on par with the minimum wage.
Department of Family and Community Services secretary Michael Coutts-Trotter, the husband of deputy federal Labor leader Tanya Plibersek, was paid $576,582 after a 2.3 per cent pay increase of $13,210.
Department of Planning secretary Carolyn McNally earned $507,350 in base pay, plus a discretionary bonus up to $60,882 based on her performance in the role.
Chiefs at NSW Transport, the State Transit Authority, Sydney Ferries, NSW Trains, Sydney Trains, Railcorp and Roads and Maritime Services were paid an average of $518,865 after a 3.5 per cent salary increase of $17,470.
Not all departmental chiefs won a pay rise last year, however. The Education Department’s latest annual report reveals the $509,750 pay packet of secretary Mark Scott was $30,550 less than that paid to predecessor Michele Bruniges. In his previous job as managing director of the ABC, Mr Scott earned nearly $300,000 more.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the amount spent on senior executive salaries is now $75 million less per year than what it would have been under Labor.
“Since coming to office, we’ve cut thousands of back office staff and invested in record numbers of teachers, nurses and cops,” he said.
New Police Commissioner Michael Fuller is paid less than predecessor Andrew Scipione, who negotiated a $590,000 pay package until his retirement in March. The NSW Police annual report reveals Mr Fuller earns between $452,251 and $522,500 a year, although the precise salary is secret.
A spokesman for Police Minister Troy Grant yesterday said the salary was at the “lower end’’ of the pay scale.