Stagnant CPI means Territory council elected member allowances are set to hold

Darwin council’s elected members will not receive a pay rise this year, with the Local Government minister halting the annual increase due to a stagnant CPI.

Darwin council’s elected members’ allowances will remain the same as they were in the 20/21 financial year. Picture: Justin Kennedy

DARWIN council’s elected members will not receive a pay rise this year, with the Local Government minister halting the annual increase due to a stagnant CPI.

It means elected members allowances will remain at the same rates as they were in the 20/21 financial year after annual increases, according to the CPI, since 2008.

A Minister for Local Government spokeswoman said council member allowances increased in line with the annual change to the Darwin CPI.

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“During 2020, the annual change to the Darwin CPI was 0.0 per cent therefore council member allowances will not be increased for the 2021-22 financial year. “Remuneration for attendance at additional meetings and personal development allowances are only payable in accordance with the policies of individual councils.”

Since 2008, council member allowances have been increased in line with the annual change to the Darwin Consumer Price Index (CPI). Darwin CPI is prepared by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Pending the Northern Territory local government elections in August, it means Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis could earn a base salary of $125,192.75 and up to a total of $161,896.86 after electoral and professional development allowances.

Elected members will receive a base allowance of $22,515.39 and could claim a total of $49,517.15 after the electoral, professional development and maximum extra meeting allowances – the same rates as last year.

Council government relations and external affairs acting general manager Vanessa Green said the allowances meant elected members’ work beyond lobbying for their ward and wider community was accounted for.

“The extra meeting allowance is paid per meeting but is capped for each financial year,” she said.

“For 2021/22, the extra meeting allowance is capped at $15,010.25.

“In 2019/20 … council resolved to increase the extra meeting allowance from $184.40 per meeting to $250.00 per meeting. This is based on an average of around 60 possible extra meetings per annum.”

But for members to claim the extra meeting allowance they must attend at least 75 per cent of each meeting.

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In the 20/21 financial year, aldermen have claimed for an average of 35 meetings, accounting for about $8750, or just over half their maximum allowance.

They are allowed to claim on a maximum of 60 meetings per financial year.

The sitting council had decided the Deputy Lord Mayor role would be shared between elected members but if a sole deputy lord mayor is decided by and elected by council for the entire term, they would earn a base salary of $46,292.69 and a total claimable of $58,284.20.