What Victoria’s politicians and public servants get paid
Victoria is paying its top public servants more than $700,000 a year, while Daniel Andrews earns more than the federal opposition leader. Here’s what we’re forking out for our leaders.
Victoria
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Taxpayers are forking out eye-watering wages to some of Victoria’s most prominent politicians and public servants.
While our top leaders are pocketing almost half a million dollars in wages, it pales in comparison to the generous paypackets of our department secretaries.
Victorians are paying at least $452,475 for Premier Daniel Andrews’ annual pay packet, while his right hand man, Deputy Premier and Education Minister James Merlino, takes home $385,165.
Numbers obtained by the Herald Sun show Premier Daniel Andrews’ salary comprises a base salary and additional wage of $395,604 each year, alongside a comfortable $56,871 expense account to match.
It is understood the Premier earns more than federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, who makes about $390,000 per year.
Ministers with a portfolio, such as Health Minister Martin Foley, make the same as Opposition Leader Matthew Guy at $360,858.
While Victorian MPs earn a base salary of $186,973 annually, even the wages of cabinet ministers — who receive an additional sum for overseeing a portfolio — fall short of the $500k minimum salary allocated for government department secretaries.
An annual salary between $534,331 and $720,676 ranks Victoria’s department secretaries among the highest paid bureaucrats in the country.
A Department of Health spokesman would not provide the salary band under which Covid-19 Response Commander Jeroen Weimar’s or chief health officer Brett Sutton’s pay fell.
Spokesmen for the Department of Transport, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing And the Department of Education could not confirm at which end of the pay scale their department heads’ salaries likely fell.
State leaders’ travel allowances have not been included in the Herald Sun’s data, but a $53,217 parliamentary accommodation sitting allowance is also up for grabs for eligible MPs.
Mr Andrews could be making the extra $53,217, while Mr Merlino would be eligible for an additional $46,656.
Ministers, the presiding or deputy presiding officer, cabinet secretaries, leader or deputy leader of the opposition, leader or deputy leader of the opposition in the legislative council, leader or deputy leader of the third party can all receive up to $39,910.
MPs who are one of the above but sit in parliament can pocket a further $26,609.
A Community and Public Sector Union spokesman said the wide salary bands allocated for public servants allowed the state government to offer competitive salaries to secure candidates best suited for executive roles, with public servants at higher levels no longer receiving bonuses like leaders in other states.
“The broad ranges provide the flexibility to recognise differences in department agency size, budget, service, build, compliance or regulatory focus,” the spokesman said.
“It’s very Victoria-unique considering the at-risk (bonus) component has been removed — and that’s a good thing,” he said.
“The state government is a major employer and should be able to compete on salary to secure and hold on to the best executive candidates.”
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