Annastacia Palaszczuk to become Australia’s second best paid premier despite Facebook promise

One premier has been forced to defend an awkward Facebook post after a promise to her state was reversed this week.

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s pay will jump nearly $30,000 by September next year despite the Queensland Premier promising no MPs will receive a pay rise until 2023.

The Sunshine State leader, who will soon be the second highest paid premier or chief minister in the country, will pocket a 2 per cent increase in September this year, followed by 2.25 per cent lift in March and another 2.5 per cent hike in September 2022.

Ms Palaszczuk’s salary will increase from $399,955 to about $427,500 by September 2022.

The jump will come despite the leader’s declaration to voters in a Facebook post from last year there will be “no pay rises for Queensland MPs until 2023”.

On Tuesday, the Premier defended the change of fortune, insisting the call to reverse the decision from last year to freeze pay rises was made by the Queensland Independent Tribunal.

Ms Palaszczuk said MPs hadn’t had a pay rise since 2017, telling reporters “I don’t make these decisions”.

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s promise to Queenslanders in 2020.

“It’s a decision of the Independent Remuneration Tribunal but they are less than the public sector wage increases,” she said.

“We moved legislation in the house to prohibit it being anymore and the recommendation is that it’s actually less.”

Despite the healthy jump, Ms Palaszczuk’s pay will be below the annual salary of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who takes home $441,439 a year.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian earns $407,980, while South Australian Premier Steven Marshall takes home $418,000.

In Western Australia, Mark McGowan is paid $355,000.

The Queensland increases come despite a request from Ms Palaszczuk last year – one that was agreed to by the opposition – to freeze pay rises for MPs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

But in a report tabled on Monday, the Queensland Independent Remuneration Tribunal noted the “economic and social circumstances” had stabilised to the extent that a salary increase was “now justified for members”.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will take home $427,500 by September next year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jono Searle

In its report, the tribunal, which is an independent body, said that while the economic forecast and outlook remained uncertain, the economy seemed to be rebounding.

“The outlook is more positive than at the height of the pandemic in 2020 when the salary levels of members were last considered by the tribunal,” they wrote.

On Tuesday, Ms Palaszczuk said the economic outlook for the state was far healthier than during the height of the pandemic in 2020.

“As you can see, Queensland’s economy is coming back, people are out and about, people are functioning and that is a matter for them,” she said.

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles will see his pay increase to about $376,000 a year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Deputy Premier Steven Miles’s annual pay will rise from $351,788 to about $376,000, while Opposition Leader David Crisafulli and cabinet ministers will go from being paid $327,705 a year to about $350,000.

Speaker Curtis Pitt’s pay packet will go from $303,000 to $324,500, while the salary of an MP will increase from $159,122 to $170,100.

Queensland Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli will also enjoy a pay rise. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

In their August 2020 report, the tribunal made note of correspondence from Ms Palaszczuk – and agreed to by the opposition – both having written to the tribunal asking for any salary increases to be frozen during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In that same report, the tribunal ruled there would be no pay increases for the years beginning September 1, 2019 through to September 1, 2022.

But, this week’s report will “supersede” last year’s commitment to pay freezes.

MPs salaries from September 1, 2022:

• Premier: $427,500 (currently $399,955)
  
• Deputy Premier: $376,000 (currently $351,788)
  
• Cabinet minister: $350,300 (currently $327,705)
  
• Opposition Leader: $350,300 (currently $327,705)
• Speaker: $324,500 (currently $303,622)
• Deputy Opposition Leader: $273,00 (currently $255,455)
• Deputy Speaker: $260,300 (currently $243,414)
• Assistant minister: $260,200 (currently $243,414)
• Manager of opposition business: $260,200 (currently $243,414)
• Chief government whip: $260,200 (currently $243,414)
• Shadow minister: $234,400 (currently $219,330)
  
• Base MP: $170,100 (currently $159,122)