Anthony Albanese holds firm against calls for more staffers

Anthony Albanese has stood firm against calls to increase incoming crossbenchers’ staffing allocations following a meeting with the new MPs on Monday.

Newly elected independent MPs, from left, Zoe Daniel, Kate Chaney, Kylea Tink, Dai Le, Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Sophie Scamps and Allegra Spender. Picture: Twitter

Anthony Albanese has stood firm against calls to increase incoming crossbenchers’ staffing allocations following a meeting with the new MPs on Monday, arguing he was constrained by fiscal challenges.

The Weekend Australian on Saturday revealed incoming teal independents would push the Prime Minister to double staffing allocation in a meeting ahead of their official swearing in, with talks underway about how they could pool resources to help cope with the increased workload.

The new MPs have expressed frustration with the government after their staffing allocation was cut to a quarter of what it was under previous governments, leaving MPs with one full-time staff member and four electoral ­officers.

Regional independent MPs including Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie, Indi MP Helen Haines and Kennedy MP Bob Katter have been given two full-time staffers due to the remoteness and size of their electorates.

Some crossbench senators including One Nation’s Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts and ACT senator David Pocock have also been allocated an extra staff member amid concern legislation could be held up in the upper house.

Labor does not have a majority in the Senate, and will be reliant on the Greens and one other crossbencher to pass its bills.

The Australian understands the Monday meeting between Mr Albanese and crossbench MPs lasted an hour. The new crossbench MPs raised concerns over their increased workload, their ability to properly examine legislation and whether the parliamentary library would be sufficiently resourced to support their offices.