NT Renumeration Tribunal proposes $5000 pay bump for politicians
A pitch to pay Territory politicians an extra $5000 a year could increase the quality of our representatives, a independent review has found.
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The Chief Minister has rejected a pay bump for herself and her colleagues, leaving the Territory’s politicians as the lowest paid in the country.
The independent Renumeration Tribunal tabled their report in late November repeating calls for a raise to attract more qualified candidates.
The tribunal advocated for a 2.5 per cent pay bump on the base member pay to $166,763 — a $4763 pay bump from their current salary.
But Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said it was “not the time”.
“Territorians are dealing with cost of living pressures and that’s our priority,” she said.
“We are focused on supporting Territorians, not on ourselves.”
The tribunal said due to a 2019 inquiry — which found Territorians were the fifth-highest paid politicians — there was a three-year pay freeze on parliamentary raises.
Even when that pay freeze expired last year, both sides of politics rejected a recommended $3000 pay rise.
“As such, members have not received an increase for the last four years,” the report said.
Currently, NT pollies have a base salary of $162,000 — making them the lowest paid in the country.
If the parliament accepts the tribunal’s most recent recommendation, it would mean NT politicians would be the third worst paid in Australia receiving $2381 more than Tasmanian pollies and $381 more than their Western Australian colleagues.
However, the independent tribunal acknowledged a pay bump for politicians was never a popular policy.
“The Renumeration Tribunal notes the challenge in drawing a balance between community expectations in relation to members renumeration and entitlements against the need to attract well-qualified candidates to represent the people of the Northern Territory,” it said.
The tribunal also recommended boosts to member’s travel entitlements, including allowing them to convert their business class airfares to two flexible economy class tickets to allow their nominees to travel with them.
The tribunal recommended an increase to the base electorate allowances — which covers office expenses — motor vehicle entitlements, and more flexibility to hire an assistant electorate officer.
There was also a boost to how much they can claim for meals and incidentals.
Last year Chief Minister Natasha Fyles rejected the pay increase for politicians, after the Treasurer’s Mid-Year Report forecast a half-billion dollar blowout in debt over the forward estimates ending 2025-26.
Currently Ms Fyles takes home about $325,000 a year, the Deputy Chief Minister gets a salary of $292,000, while Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro receives $268,000 – the same as a minister.
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