Pollies’ remuneration review dashes hopes of a level playing field
Our politicians deserve to be well paid so they can do the job well but there’s a limit to the largesse the public will accept, writes Matt Johnston.
Opinion
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I’m a subscriber to the cliche that if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
Even so, there’s a limit to largesse the public will accept when it comes to pollie pay.
The first ever ruling by a new remuneration tribunal decided that entry-level state MPs in Victoria are worth more than $182,000 a year.
Ministers get almost double that, and Dan Andrews is now the highest-paid premier in the country.
On top of the “base salary” is a $20,000 car allowance, $10,000 for international travel, and a massive communications budget for phone and internet costs.
Are they worth it?
You won’t hear much public justification from MPs themselves.
Most ducked for cover after learning of their pay rise.
Some might have been at the pub celebrating, while others quietly said they were expecting more.
In a move typical of the secretive state the Andrews Government likes to run, the Remuneration Tribunal literally can’t answer questions about its decisions. The tribunal members — public servants and lawyers — are gagged by legislation that makes them act like judges handing down jail terms with sentencing remarks.
For a sweeping review that was supposed to clean up pay and perks, the tribunal has mostly fiddled at the edges.
One of the biggest differences is the wider gap that has opened between backbench and ministerial pay, worth almost $170,000.
Many middle-rung positions are now well-paid gigs, even if they require hard work (yes, many politicians actually work hard).
The pay scales will also create party room competition, including who can get the brownest nose.
As with everything in politics, this pay rise is about timing.
The government is playing hardball with public sector unions over pay rises.
Treasurer Tim Pallas said this year that they should be satisfied with 2 per cent a year.
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This comes despite Andrews marching in the streets with comrades seeking better wages last year. He might not be accepting an invitation to their next rally, if he was to get one at all.
Andrews and senior ministers are also on generous defined-benefits pension scheme, which those elected after 2004 missed out on.
The old guard raised hopes that the remuneration tribunal would somewhat level the playing field between haves and have nots.
All eyes will now be on the tribunal’s review into super and pensions, due next year.
If that doesn’t go to Dan’s plan, some MPs might suddenly find a voice.
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