Former County Court judge Felicity Hampel’s special pay deal with state government revealed

Former judge Felicity Hampel — who now heads a little-known government agency — will be among the best paid public servants in the state, after tax, following an extraordinary pay deal.

Felicity Hampel is now among the state’s best paid public servants. Picture: Supplied

The state government entered into a special pay deal with former County Court judge Felicity Hampel to help her avoid paying up to $120,000 per year in income tax.

Ms Hampel was last week announced as chair of the Post Sentence Authority, a little-known government agency which oversees the supervision of serious offenders following their release from prison.

The state government’s special deal with Ms Hampel makes her among the best paid public servants in the state, after tax, despite the tiny size of her agency.

After tax, Ms Hampel’s pay packet will be worth more than some bureaucrats with responsibility for overseeing multibillion-dollar projects.

Ms Hampel has been paid a mostly tax-free judicial pension of about $260,000 per year since she retired in mid-2023.

Ms Hampel is a former County Court judge. Picture: Supplied

She was appointed as a judge by the Bracks government in 2005.

Ms Hampel’s new role was advertised as paying between $401,000 and $533,000 per year.

Judicial pensions are typically suspended when ex-judges work as public servants, to prevent them double-dipping from an “office of profit under the Crown”.

But the Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the state government has allowed Ms Hampel to keep collecting her pension while also being paid a reduced salary of between $140,000 and $273,000 for the new job.

The arrangement means her total before-tax income will be within the amount advertised, but she will avoid paying up to $120,000 in income tax.

A state government spokeswoman said the arrangement with Ms Hampel was “standard for the appointment of former judges to public sector roles”, but she would not say which other former judges were afforded the same deal as Ms Hampel.

The Sunday Herald Sun was also unable to locate any former judges who have been given similar pay deals to that of Ms Hampel’s in the past five years.

Ms Hampel’s predecessor, Michelle Williams, who was eligible for a senior crown prosecutor’s pension, was offered a similar deal.

Other former judges have been given similar pay deals, but typically only for occasional work on the Adult Parole Board, which pays a small sum largely intended to cover expenses.

Corrections Minister Enver Erdogan who – along with Governor Margaret Gardner – signed off on the deal last week said Ms Hampel has “demonstrated strong leadership throughout her extensive career, making her well suited to take on the role”.

The state government spokeswoman would not say whether Ms Hampel proposed the special pay deal, or whether the state government offered it to her.

She did not respond to questions about whether the state government believes the special pay deal was in line with community expectations.

Ms Hampel referred all questions to the state government.

Prior to her appointment as a County Court judge, Ms Hampel previously practised as a barrister, including nine years as senior counsel.

Ms Hampel is married to retired Supreme Court judge George Hampel.