What promise? Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk reneges on pre-election pay vow

Annastacia Palaszczuk has reneged on a pre-election promise to freeze politician pay rises for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in Brisbane on Monday. Picture: Josh Woning

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has reneged on a pre-election promise to freeze politician pay rises for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Palaszczuk on Monday said she would now accept a salary increase from $399,955 to $427,561 from September, after state MPs were given a 2 per cent pay rise by the Queensland independent ­Remuneration Tribunal.

It means Queensland’s 93 state MPs in the unicameral parliament will pocket three pay rises over the next 15 months.

An election campaign image promising no pay rises for Queensland MPs.

Last year, Ms Palaszczuk wrote to the tribunal, with the support of then opposition leader Deb Frecklington, asking it to “put on hold” state MP pay rises for the duration of the pandemic.

The freeze was in line with an already ordered pay rise deferral for 500,000 Queensland public servants, who will get their delayed increase only in July.

Ms Palaszczuk’s pay rise will push her above NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who is on $407,980, and make her salary the second highest for premiers behind Victoria’s Daniel Andrews, who is on $441,439.

Treasurer Cameron Dick on Monday said: “It’s an independent tribunal and I’ve very pleased politicians are going to get a pay increase that’s less than our hardworking public servants.’’

Asked about the contrast of MP pay hikes in the face of wage stagnation among private sector workers, Ms Palaszczuk said she was receiving less of an increase than public servants. “We’ve had the pay freezes and it’s nothing more than what the public service are getting paid, in fact it’s less,’’ she said. “That’s a matter for the remuneration tribunal.”

The tribunal recommended a series of increases for MPs, starting with a 2 per cent hike on September 1, 2021, 2.25 per cent on March 1, 2022, and 2.5 per cent from September 1, 2022.

For a backbencher on a base salary, the increase will equate to an extra $7801 annually on a base salary of $159,122.

The tribunal’s determination, tabled in state parliament on Monday, said the economy was strong enough for taxpayers to give MPs a pay rise. “While the economic forecast and outlook continue to remain uncertain as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, it appears that the economy is ­rebounding, and the outlook is more positive than at the height of the pandemic in 2020 when the salary levels of members were last considered by the tribunal,” it submitted.

Last August, the tribunal agreed to the call for an MP wage freeze, with chairman Warren Tutt registering his dissent.

“The tribunal notes that the base salary of members is in a higher wages bracket than average salary rates and that while there is a need to attract qualified members to the role, members’ salaries should also reflect the public service component of the role and the value to the community of a member performing their role, functions and responsibilities,’’ it said.

“The tribunal noted the wage deferral for public service employees, the provisions of the Certified Agreement and the considerations of the Fair Work Commission in reaching its decision on the salary levels of members.”