Pay rise for politicians brings MP salary above $200,000

POLITICIANS’ salaries just got fatter. Federal MPs have tried to justify yet another pay rise for themselves, saying they had nothing to do with it.

SENIOR federal politicians have distanced themselves from a decision handing them their second pay rise for the year.

Federal politicians, judges and agency heads will get a two per cent bump in pay from next week.

The Remuneration Tribunal on Thursday decided to grant the increase to public office holders starting on July 1.

It follows a two per cent pay rise in January last year, and a 2.4 per cent boost in 2013.

The change will come into effect on the same day income tax cuts for high earners are introduced with the end of the deficit levy leaving politicians at least $4000 better off. It means backbenchers’ pay will now be above the $200,000 mark.

In interviews on Friday morning, ministers and shadow ministers played down the boost.

When asked if he was comfortable with the pay increase Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese tried to distance himself from the decision and claimed he didn’t know about it until this morning.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be $17,000 better off as of next week thanks to a pay rise and a tax cut. Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP

“What I’m comfortable with is politicians not determining our own pay, it being at arms lengths of us,” he told Today.

“The first I knew about that was when I was told just before we came on air. It is appropriate that our all of our pay and conditions are not set by us, but by an independent tribunal.”

Defence Infrastructure Minister Christopher Pyne tried to justify the pay increase saying it’s been a while since politicians’ had one.

“In fact we’ve had a pay freeze for the last couple of years, so the reality is we don’t make these decision,” he said on the same program.

Anthony Albanese and Chris Pyne justify their pay increase on Today. Picture: Channel 9

Speaking with Seven’s Sunrise Education Minister Simon Birmingham argued politicians weren’t in it for the money.

“It is an independent process. It was a 2 per cent pay rise this year after a pay freeze from last year,” he said. “I don’t think anybody in politics is here for the money.”

The tribunal said its decision was about keeping public office holders from being lured to the private sector.

“The tribunal considers it important that remuneration for offices in its jurisdiction be maintained at appropriate levels over the longer term to attract and retain people of the calibre required for these important high level offices,” it said in a statement.

The tribunal received a “notable increase” in submissions asking for more money for offices and individual office holders based, in part, on pay in the private sector.

Originally published as Pay rise for politicians brings MP salary above $200,000