Claims pay freeze ‘nothing more than a political stunt’

THE NT Government’s attempts to have executive level public servants sign agreements to forego contractually agreed pay rises could end up costing Territorians millions

Kezia Purick said $165,000 — the base wage for a junior pollie — was a “lot of money” but far less than the lowest-paid executive members to be affected

The NT Government’s attempts to have executive level public servants sign agreements to forego contractually agreed pay rises could end up costing Territorians millions.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner has refused to rule out sacking public servants who don’t sign up to a “voluntary” pay freeze for the next three years.

About 600 executives across the public service have been ordered to sacrifice their pay rises to help with the Government’s “budget repair”.

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Mr Gunner confirmed yesterday in his department alone there are 37 executive contract holders. Most public servants on executive contracts have already negotiated new agreements, locking in annual pay rises, beginning with a 2.5 per cent increase this August.

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But any executive who is terminated as a result of their refusal to sign on to the new conditions will be entitled to extremely generous payouts worth up to half of the total value of their packages.

On ABC Radio yesterday independent Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley said there were “questions of legality” around Mr Gunner’s “unethical and illegal” plan to make public servants agree to the freeze.

Politicians are also expected to sign their extra cash away.

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Ms Lambley said $165,000 — the base wage for a junior pollie — was a “lot of money” but far less than the lowest- paid executive members to be affected.

She said most members would likely agree to a year-long freeze until the next election, but decisions shouldn't be made for the next batch of parliamentarians.

Member for Goyder Kezia Purick said the Government had no role setting MLAs salaries.

“To think otherwise is just plain rubbish,” she said.

“Every jurisdiction has an independent tribunal that reviews and sets members’ entitlements.

“When the Government came out with this announcement some weeks back that it was going to freeze politicians’ salaries and executive officers’ salaries it was nothing more than a political stunt to make themselves look good. They don’t have the power to do it.”