Bipartisan backing for governor-general pay rise

Incoming governor-general Sam Mostyn’s $200,000 pay bump has secured bipartisan support days before she inherits a position that comes with two mansions and a generous vice-regal pension.

Incoming governor-general Sam Mostyn. Picture: PMO

Incoming governor-general Sam Mostyn’s $200,000 pay bump has secured bipartisan support days before she inherits a position that comes with two mansions and a generous vice-regal pension.

The opposition said it would support the bill despite insisting it was a “deep embarrassment for the government”.

“The governor-general starts the new gig on Monday and this has to be passed through parliament and given royal assent before then because this establishes the governor-general’s salary for the next five years. As a convention, normally this is done much, much earlier,” a partyroom spokeswoman said.

Following the agreement, Ms Mostyn’s salary looks set to be $709,017 a year once she steps into the job next Monday.

The Greens pledged to mount an unlikely move to block the pay bump and instead transition Australia into a republic. “Now the Greens will also be moving an amendment to make this fabulous nation a republic, and that’s no shade on Sam Mostyn, whom we think is a fantastic progressive,” Greens senator Larissa Waters said. “And if we have to have that institution, she’s the best for it.

“Nonetheless, the country should grow up and we should become a republic. And what’s more, we shouldn’t be spending 43 per cent of public money on a pay rise for an outdated institution.”

Senator Waters said the current salary “is more than adequate, and I’ll be moving an amendment today, tomorrow, whenever we come to this bill that says until ordinary workers get a 43 per cent pay rise, the governor-general should not either”.

“I’m afraid it’s a massive hypo­crisy when we are in a cost-of-­living crisis, that the government is prepared to fast-track a bill to pay an outdated institution even more money, when ordinary Australians are struggling and when real wages haven’t had a decent rise in far too long.”

The Albanese government reasoned the 43 per cent pay bump was “adjusted accordingly” because Ms Mostyn would not receive the same military pension that current Governor-General David Hurley would receive.

The pay bump will also come with the usual bevy of perks given to a governor-general. This includes residency at Admiralty House, which overlooks Sydney Harbour, and Government House on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.

Ms Mostyn will also be guaranteed a pension after serving her term, set at 60 per cent of the High Court chief justice’s salary.

The governor-general also appoints an official secretary who is tasked with assisting them.

The latest budget papers earmarked more than $22m for the governor-general, for “organisation and management of official duties, management and maintenance of the official household and property and administration of the Australian honours and awards system”.

According to the official secretary’s 2022-23 annual report, the governor-general’s “representational events” such as receptions, lunches, dinners and investitures cost $9.3m that financial year.

The rest of the budget largely goes into administering the awards and honours system. That same annual report said it collectively cost $10m. A further $5m went into management and maintenance of the two residences.