Daniel Andrews’ pay rise ‘obscene’

Victorian Nationals leader breaks ranks, accusing Premier of using state as an ATM.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ $46,522 pay rise has been labelled “obscene”.

Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh has described Daniel Andrews’ $46,522 pay rise as “obscene”, breaking ranks with his Coalition partner, Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien, who has refused to criticise the increase, saying he will respect the “independent decision” of the remuneration tribunal.

Exposing a rift between some Coalition MPs and the Liberal leader over Mr O’Brien’s handling of the issue, Mr Walsh told his local newspaper the Swan Hill Guardian that the Victorian Premier was “treating Victorians as his own personal ATM machine”.

On Tuesday the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal announced pay rises of between 3.8 per cent and 11.8 per cent by July for all Spring Street politicians, as well as the incorporation of a previously separate $13,000 “expenses” allowance into their salaries, giving backbenchers an annual pay packet of $182,413, the Premier $441,439, and ministers and Mr O’Brien $352,057.

Additionally, MPs will still receive an annual $20,000 to $30,000 car allowance, an electorate allowance worth between $40,000 and $48,000 a year depending on the size of their seat, and a $10,000 international travel allowance.

Regional MPs will still be entitled to a “parliamentary sitting accommodation” allowance of at least $26,609 per year.

Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh. Picture: ANDY ROGERS

The pay rise is the second increase for Victorian MPs in less than three months, after their wages automatically increased by 2.92 per cent based on wage inflation on July 1.

Mr Walsh attacked Mr Andrews for accepting his own pay rise while maintaining a policy of capping public sector wage increases at 2 per cent, accusing him of hiding from media scrutiny by travelling to regional Victoria on Wednesday — the day after the pay increase was announced.

“I think it is obscene that we see the Premier of Victoria getting such a large increase, while he is actually telling workers they shouldn’t’ get an increase,” he told the Swan Hill Guardian.

“(It is) absolutely hypocritical of the Premier and the fact that he hid from the media yesterday and went to Shepparton unannounced shows that he is just ducking this issue totally.”

Mr Walsh said the tribunal’s decision had been made on the advice of Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings.

“It is (Mr Andrews’s) legislation, it is his Special Minister of State that has been driving this. He should be accountable to the people of Victoria.”

Mr Walsh said that if Mr Andrews believed a 2 per cent cap on public sector wage increases was appropriate, he should apply the same principle to his own salary.

“I don’t believe the Premier deserves the pay rise that he actually got,” he said.

“The same cap should apply to everyone.”

Mr Walsh’s comments contrast starkly with those of Mr O’Brien, who continually refused to criticise the size of the pay increase during a long radio interview on Wednesday, arguing the decision had been made independently of the Andrews government.

“The government said, ‘well look let’s change the system, let’s give it to an independent tribunal to take it out of the hands of the pollies’, and they’ve brought down a decision,” Mr O’Brien told 3AW.

“I said at the time we changed the system or the parliament changed the system, I said I’d accept it, and I’d accept it whether it was zero per cent, or a small rise or a bit more than a small rise.

“In the end they’ve brought down the decision and I’ll cop it.”

The Australian has contacted Mr O’Brien’s office for comment.

Mr Andrews yesterday declined to say whether he believed his $46,522 pay rise passed the “pub test”.

“You can make your own judgments about those matters,” he said.

“I’m not a commentator on these things. I think some people would be upset about any pay rise for politicians. Other people would take a different view.

“I made a commitment to make this an independent process and I’ve delivered on that.”

The Andrews government set up the remuneration tribunal in the wake of expenses scandals involving former speaker Telmo Languiller and former deputy speaker Don Nardella.

Both men held seats in Melbourne’s western suburbs and were caught rorting $37,678 and $100,000 respectively in “second residence” allowance by claiming they were living at their beachside holiday homes.