The Sauce: NSW Labor MPs’ expenses to eclipse any previous government

While the cost of living rises for the average punter, new figures show NSW Labor’s level of spending is set to eclipse any previous government’s expenses. Read details in The Sauce.

While the cost of living rises for the average punter, new figures show the “cost of spending” is soaring for the Minns government.

According to figures released to new Liberal “waste watch” spokesman Matt Cross, Labor ministers spent $56 million on taxis, office rent, cars and catering last financial year.

Based on figures to date for this financial year, that total is expected to soar to $65 million by the end of 2024-25 — a total Cross claims eclipses the spending of any previous government.

Digging into the various expenses of individual ministers, the figures show Premier Chris Minns had the biggest staff costs at $7.3 million, followed by Environment Minister Penny Sharpe at $2.8 million.

Liberal MP Matt Cross. Picture: Instagram

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

In total, taxpayers have so far paid $41 million on the labour costs of the Minns ministry.

Office rent for all the ministers totalled $12 million, with Minns’ digs costing the most at $1.3 million, followed by $767,000 for Education Minister Prue Car.

Car may be paying less rent, but her office topped the list as having the biggest stationery bill at $28,000.

In total, ministers spent a staggering $305,000 on mailouts, brochures and other office supplies.

NSW Premier Chris Minns. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Minns’ ministers have so far splashed out $118,000 on taxis, with Minns’ office accruing the biggest bill at $37,000, followed by $11,000 for Health Minister Ryan Park.

Ministers have also spent just under $1 million in travel this year, with Minns’ bill coming in at $174,000, followed by Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty at $82,000, and $64,000 by Park.

Almost half a million dollars has been spent on ministers’ cars, with the Premier and Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison spending $34,000 and $33,000 respectively.

Another $18,000 has also been spent on catering, including $6000 by Minns’ office and $5233 by Skills Minister Steve Whan.

Cross claimed Car’s stationery spend was enough to “fund 500 active kids vouchers”.

“They keep the taxi industry going and can’t cut a ribbon on Sydney Metro,” Cross claimed.

“During a time when households are trying to live within their means, the Minns government is clearly not.”

EX-COP IN LINE TO BE THE NEW PRISONS BOSS

Lots of chatter among prison officers about who might replace former Corrective Services Commissioner Kevin Corcoran, with strong speculation it could be not only a former senior cop but (shock, horror!) a woman.

The Sauce hears senior public servant Gelina Talbot is in the mix to head up the state’s prisons, which are in desperate need of positive PR after the lid was lifted on serial rapist prison officer Wayne Astill.

Astill, the former Dyllwynia prison chief, is serving a 23-year jail sentence for sexually assaulting 14 female prisoners over five years.

Is Gelina Talbot set to be NSW’s new prisons boss? Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Former corrective services commissioner Kevin Corcoran.

In the special commission of inquiry, former judge Peter Clellan highlighted management failures at Dyllwynia, including criticising Corcoran — who was the assistant commissioner at the time of Astill’s offending — for appointing a governor he had had concerns with at the jail.

Corcoran left the job in March, with Leon Taylor, who is also understood to be a contender for the gig, acting in the job.

Talbot was a human resources manager before joining NSW Police, where she held a variety of roles including Assistant Commissioner.

Since May, she has been working as the “executive review co-lead” for NSW Department of Communities and Justice which is reviewing the troubled out-of-home care sector.

PARTY ON

The Metro opening date may have been pushed back to who knows when, but that didn’t stop Liberal MP Natalie Ward from holding a “Metro opening party” on Saturday night.

The Sauce can reveal about 100 people paid the $80 entry fee to join in the celebrations at The Union Hotel, adding $8000 to Liberal Party campaign coffers.

The Minns government was forced to cancel the opening of the $21.6bn Metro rail line days before it was due to open after regulators refused to sign off on its safety.

Former treasurer Matt Kean and ex-premier Dominic Perrottet will be farewelled with dinner at a suburban Thai eatery. Picture: Dean Sewell

Ward’s invite stated her fundraiser was to mark the opening of “Sydney Metro City and South West” line — the latter of which has no opening date.

Meanwhile, tongues are wagging among Coalition MPs at the “not very Liberal” choice of venue where state opposition leader Mark Speakman will host a farewell dinner for Matt Kean, ex-premier Dominic Perrottet and other departing MPs.

According to an invite seen by The Sauce, Speako has requested MPs gather at Newtown’s Thai Pothong Restaurant for a banquet.

“Thai Pothong is where you go for a mate’s birthday, not to farewell Dom and Matt,” one Lib told us. “Plus it’s in Newtown, like wtf?”

But the Liberal leader hit back.

“We chose Thai Pothong because I’d rather get knocked for value for money than throw a lavish do that’s over the top,” Speako said.

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