Gladys Berejiklian and former colleagues still collect paychecks as NSW MPs

Four NSW MPs are quitting – including Gladys Berejiklian – but they will all continue to be paid handsomely by taxpayers for the foreseeable future.

Gladys Berejiklian and three of her former NSW government colleagues continue to collect taxpayer-funded paychecks even after they announced their resignations.

Neither of the four have formally resigned yet, meaning they still serve their electorates as MPs and will continue to receive about $14,000 per month for that job.

In the case of Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons, who announced her intention to resign on Wednesday, she will collect about $16,000 per month because she gets a bonus for being a parliamentary secretary.

Former Deputy Premier John Barilaro, ex-Transport Minister Andrew Constance, and Ms Berejiklian, who resigned as Premier on October 1, all gave up their bonuses when quitting the cabinet.

Ms Berejiklian has been spotted at her electorate office in Willoughby. Picture: SevenNews

Ms Berejiklian’s annual premier’s salary of about $160,000 and expense allowance of $78,000 will go to her successor Dominic Perrottet instead, but she will keep her yearly MP salary of $169,000 until she quits as member for Willoughby.

Mr Barilaro gave up a combined $174,000 per year when he quit the deputy job, and Mr Constance gave up at least $140,000 when he resigned as minister.

Both will earn as much money as Ms Berejiklian until they move on from parliament.

This document made public by parliament reveals how much MPs and ministers get paid.

Mr Barilaro is understood to be aiming to stay on as Monaro MP until a by-election can be arranged, and Mr Constance has said he’ll continue as Bega MP until the end of the year.

Ms Berejiklian said in her resignation speech she would resign as an MP “once I have consulted the electoral commission on appropriate timing for a by-election given the Covid restrictions”.

She has been spotted at her Willoughby electorate office since resigning.

Former Deputy Premier John Barilaro is still the member for Monaro. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

However neither she, nor Mr Constance or Mr Barilaro were present in parliament this week.

All three were “paired” with opposition members, which means neither side loses a vote even if an MP is absent.

Opposition Leader Chris Minns said after Ms Gibbons announced she had resigned that her quitting to seek a federal seat instead was an “indulgence”.

“The Member for Holsworthy said not long ago that she would stay in parliament, collect her salary along with all of the bonuses until she’s required to step down,” Mr Minns said.

“No one is requiring her to step down. This is a decision she’s made to pursue her own career and her own job over the interest of the people of Holsworthy.”

Andrew Constance said he would resign at the end of the year. Pic Martin Rainer Helmreich

Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons is quitting state parliament to contest a federal seat. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Damian Shaw

Ms Gibbons said she is “not resigning”.

“I’m not resigning - I’m continuing to work,” she said.

“I am asking the Liberal Party if they will select me to be their candidate in Hughes, and would resign at an appropriate time, but that is not now.

“Chris Minns has it wrong and has spent more time thinking about me potentially changing jobs than I have! I’m focused on working in my seat and doing my job. “

To trigger by-elections for the seats that are about to be vacated, the state’s electoral commissioner must be notified that each member has resigned, after which a writ to fill the vacancy will be issued by the speaker of the parliament’s lower chamber.

The writ will contain the date it is issued and the nominated day for the election.

“Although the NSW electoral commissioner is responsible for administering state by-elections, the issuing of the writ and the time frame for doing so is a matter for the speaker of the Legislative Assembly,” an electoral commission spokesman said.