Allan government staff wages costing taxpayers more than $1m a week

Taxpayers are being slugged more than $1m a week to pay the wages of ministerial staffers under the Allan government, with FOI files revealing the cost of the Premier’s staffers have surged by millions.

Taxpayers are being slugged more than $1 million each week to pay the wages of ministerial staffers under the Allan government, new figures have forecast.

New numbers released to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee by the Department of Premier and Cabinet have revealed ministerial staffing costs as of March 31 were on track to hit $55 million — $5 million more than last financial year.

The files, released under Freedom of Information laws, also show Treasurer Tim Pallas dropped an estimated $7.72 million on redundancy payouts by June through a special Treasurer’s Advance payment following Daniel Andrews’ resignation last year.

In just nine months, Victorians had forked out $41.5 million for the wages of 290 ministerial staff, putting it on track to hit $55.33 million by the end of June.

The huge figure tops the previous record in 2022 by more than $1.8 million.

Despite six extra staffers being employed under Daniel Andrews, taxpayers were charged just under $51 million in the financial year to June 2023.

The cost of the Premier’s Private Office, which employs 78 people, is also forecast to have surged under Ms Allan, rising from $12.1 million by March to an estimated $16 million by June.

Taxpayers are being slugged more than $1 million each week to pay the wages of ministerial staffers under the Allan government. Picture: Diego Fedele

Last financial year, 79 PPO staffers cost taxpayers $15.3 million.

The cost of ministerial staff soared under Daniel Andrews, reaching $49.2 million in 2019/20 — up $3 million from the year before — before jumping to $53.5 million in 2022.

The ballooning of Mr Andrew’s private office became a keen focus for former Ombudsman Deborah Glass who noted in a key report last year that the PPO – which then had more than 84 staff members – was bigger than the Prime Minister’s office and NSW Premier’s office combined.

A government spokesman said unlike in NSW and in Canberra, media advisers in Victoria were counted as part of the Premier’s Private office.

The Victorian Opposition’s office had just 16 staffers as of March 31, costing taxpayers $2.3 million.

The Herald Sun requested official figures for the financial year to June and an explanation of the higher wages bill but the state government refused to provide further details.

In July, the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal announced pay rises of up to 4.5 per cent for the state’s public service executives.

Victorian MPs also had their pay packet boosted by 3.5 per cent pay, bringing Premier Jacinta Allan’s pay to almost $500,000.

The cost of ministerial staff soared under Daniel Andrews. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake

The soaring ministerial wages bill comes as the government remains in marathon pay negotiations with emergency service workers, including police and firefighters.

Victorian paramedics scored a $600 million pay deal last month which would make them the best paid in the nation.

Most paramedics will get a 16.98 per cent pay rise over four years under the deal, and experienced “ambos” will see their pay rise by more than 20 per cent.

In June, nurses and midwives received a wage increase of 28.4 per cent after lengthy negotiations with the government.

Shadow Special Minister of State David Hodgett said the soaring wages bill showed the Allan government’s “priorities are all wrong”.

“Instead of spending tens of millions of dollars filling their own private offices, Labor should be focused on filling the thousands of police, teacher, child protection worker and early childhood educator vacancies across Victoria,” he said.

A Victorian government spokesman said: “We’re firmly focused on delivering for all Victorians and helping to ease the cost of living for families.”

Originally published as Allan government staff wages costing taxpayers more than $1m a week