Tasmanian government ministerial staff wages bill is as much as $11.4m a year
The cost of the state’s government ministerial staff has been revealed, and the sheer price tag may come as a shock to taxpayers. SEE THE FULL WAGES COSTS >>
Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
ONE of Premier Peter Gutwein’s most pressing tasks in coming days will be choosing his staff and determining which Liberal members will get ministries.
And a recently published disclosure has revealed the staggering amount taxpayers fork out for the staffers of the Premier, Deputy Premier and other Liberal government ministers.
According to figures from the Department of Premier and Cabinet, the 77.9 full-time equivalent political staffers employed to work for government ministers were, combined, paid between $9.8m and $11.4m a year.
The disclosure showed the Premier had 14.9 full-time equivalent staff working for him at the end of March this year.
They were being paid salaries between $75,502 and $275,000 depending on the seniority of the role.
Mr Gutwein’s chief of staff Andrew Finch was paid the most, at a salary range of between $238,014 and $275,000.
Combined, staff working directly for Mr Gutwein were being remunerated between $2.16m and $2.5m a year.
Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff had 11 staffers, being paid a total of between $1.25m and $1.45m.
Michael Ferguson had nine staff dedicated to working for him, who were being paid a combined salary of between $1.28m and $1.49m annually.
Some of the staffers were partially or fully funded by departments related to the ministries, such as education for Mr Rockliff and health for Ms Courtney.
Each member of the government was also assigned an electorate officer, which is in addition to the above figures.
Meanwhile, the government’s small army of spin doctors in its communications office was funded to the tune of $887,056 to $1.05m for eight full-time equivalent staff.
After winning a 13-seat majority in the House of Assembly after calling the state election almost a year early, Mr Gutwein is expected to announce his ministry in coming days.
‘Fire sale’: Labor hits plan to sell historic Treasury building
Labor has attacked the government for putting the Treasury building up for sale. Read what they say.
Farmers get $150m promise for critical irrigation scheme
The federal Coalition has fired the starter’s gun in Tasmania with its first funding promise ahead of the election. Find out what they are backing.