Premier’s salary to soar to almost $500k under massive pollie pay rises

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s salary will jump $34,000 by July next year amid a major 11 per cent pay hike for the state’s politicians over three years.

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Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s salary will jump $34,000 by July next year amid a major 11 per cent pay hike for the state’s politicians over three years.

The massive pay increase, set by Queensland Independent Remuneration Tribunal, means Ms Palaszczuk will maintain her ranking as the second highest-paid premier or chief minister in the country.

Under the decision, released on December 8, state politicians will get a 4 per cent increase as of July this year, followed by another 4 per cent in July 2024 and 3 per cent in July 2025.

This is in line with pay increases received by public servants as part of the sector-wide wage deal unions brokered with the government.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk Premier is in line to get a hefty pay rise.

­Ms Palaszczuk’s salary, should she remain the Premier in July 2024, will be $462,450. In July 2025 the salary of Queensland’s Premier will be $476,324.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles’ salary will break the $400,000 barrier in mid-2024, increasing to $418,960 in mid-2025.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli, who is paid the same amount as government Ministers, will earn $378,910 a year by mid-2024. The salaries of frontbenchers and the Opposition Leader by mid-2025 will rise to $390,277.75.

Ms Palaszczuk’s current salary of $427,561 a year is higher than all other premiers and chief ministers except for Victoria’s Jacinta Allan, who is paid $481,190.

Steven Miles’ salary will break the $400,000 barrier.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas is paid $367,484, while Tasmania’s Premier Jeremy Rockliff — the lowest paid of the lot — has a salary of $301,396

The Queensland Independent Remuneration Tribunal, in its report, stated the “salary and economic indices” they considered did not s support a decision to “set a salary increase lower than that provided to public service employees”.

The QIRT noted the Reserve Bank of Australia’s target of keeping annual inflation at between 2 and 3 per cent and that “high pay increases creates inflationary pressure”.

But it also noted “labour shortages and the impacts that has on wages”.

The report also highlighted how the recent state budget had warned “cost of living pressures are currently being felt across the country, including Queensland …. with Queensland households facing the challenges of higher interest rates, increasing electricity costs and higher costs of goods and services”.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli ill also get a large increase.

It was recently revealed the government’s generous wage deal for eligible public servants — from its pool of nearly 250,000 — for a “Cost of Living Adjustment” payment of up to 3 per cent if inflation exceeds their slated salary increase would cost $350m a year.

With public servants including paramedics, teachers, prosecutors and nurses, due for a 4 per cent pay increase this year it means an employee on $96,687 in 2022 can expect their annual pay before tax to hit $100,548 with a $2900 one-off cost of living boost on top.

Originally published as Premier’s salary to soar to almost $500k under massive pollie pay rises