Camden, Campbelltown councils approve salary increase amid cost-of-living crisis

Councillors from two southwest Sydney councils have approved pay rises for themselves amid a cost of living crisis. See what the pay rises mean.

Campbelltown and Camden councils have approved salary boosts. Pictured is Campbelltown Mayor George Greiss.

Two groups of south west Sydney councillors have given themselves pay rises amid the cost of living crisis.

Camden and Campbelltown councils have signed off on plans to approve their own pay bump.

Campbelltown Council’s operational budget for 2024-25 outlined that almost $100 million will go towards paying for increased employee salaries alone, swallowing a third of the entire budget and increasing by $18 million since last year.

Ratepayers were also recently slugged with funding international jaunts across the Asia-Pacific for the Mayor, councillors and support staff’s travel and accommodation fees.

Campbelltown state Labor MP Greg Warren said while it was a matter for council to decide it was an “enormous amount of money”.

He said he hoped that council was “tightening their belt” the way many businesses and families have been.

Campbelltown MP Greg Warren says councillors should be taking into account the financial hardship facing residents when making any decisions.

“Those are some big figures in there (the operational budget) and it concerns as to the financial effect that will have on so many families and businesses during a time of hardship,” he said.

The pay increase will bump up Campbelltown and Camden’s mayoral salaries to $76,190 and the councillors to $28,690 per year, which both councils say are in line with the “rate peg determined by the NSW Government’s independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal”.

The mayoral salaries amount to a $2750 bump per year, while councillors have a $1040 lift in annual salary.

“Staff investment within the Operational Plan will ensure Council’s capacity to deliver the required operational and infrastructure services,” a Campbelltown Council spokesman said.

Camden council approves second pay rise in a row. Picture: Daily Telegraph

Campbelltown council unanimously approved the salary boost and various fee hikes, while only one Camden councillor opposed the decision during the recent meeting – which a number of Camden’s councillors did not attend.

“Many people in our community are really struggling. Many people in our ward are struggling,” Camden councillor Peter McLean, who voted against the salary bump, said.

Camden councillor Peter McLean noted the struggle families are facing to pay their bills. Picture: Camden Council

Cr Peter McLean noted residents in the LGA were struggling to cope with increasing bills and emphasised a need for greater cost of living measures.

Mr Warren said it was worth noting that state MPs had been put on a wage freeze by the Premier in an “appropriate and fair” step in the wake of a crippling cost of living crisis sweeping the nation.

“What other levels of government do I can’t decide … but people are doing it really tough and we need to be cognisant of that,” he said.