Daniel Andrews government’s staffer wages balloon to more than $50 million

The Andrews government staff bill has further ballooned by millions, prompting concerns over the skyrocketing costs.

The Andrews government ministerial staff bill has ballooned to almost $50 million, prompting concerns over skyrocketing costs at the taxpayers’ expense.

A document tended to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee by the Department of Premier and Cabinet revealed ministerial staff costs hit $49.2 million in 2019/20 – up $3 million from the year before.

The figure means most of the workforce is pocketing salaries of more than $100,000.

The rising cost comes after more than 150 staff working in the offices of Premier Daniel Andrews and his ministers launched protected industrial action in 2019 pushing for a pay deal equal to the government’s wage increase cap of 2 per cent a year.

The Andrews Government has been attempting to rein in wages in recent year after public sector employment groups, unions, paramedics and teachers, have all negotiated pay deals well above inflation.

Treasurer Tim Pallas has repeatedly said pay rises across the board would be capped at 2 per cent.

However, in May 2020, during the pandemic the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal amended pay brackets for public service executives, which saw some employees pay cheques jump by $20,000.

The Andrews government ministerial staff bill has ballooned to almost $50 million Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

Meanwhile on July 1 last year, Victorian politicians pay cheques jumped by 4.8 per cent.

Despite the growing costs of keeping up to 150 ministerial advisers on the books a government spokesman said:

“ministerial staff costs, including redundancies, are in line with the relevant enterprise agreement”.

Opposition spokesman for scrutiny of government Richard Riordan said the spend was not justified.

“Not only are Victorians paying enormous sums for a ballooning bureaucracy … but service levels are declining,” he said.

“The Andrews Government needs to get back to basics, focus on outcomes and the wellbeing of Victorians.”

In June, 12 former staff of sacked Minister Adem Somyurek were also paid $967,867 in redundancies after Mr Somyurek was ordered out of the cabinet by Daniel Andrews.

But DPC was not forthcoming in which financial year the payouts were made.