Dominic Perrottet has defended 61 of the NSW government’s 62 Coalition MPs receiving parliamentary promotions to boost their pay.
Labor MP Penny Sharpe grilled the Premier over the issue after it was revealed more than $750,000 was being spent on extra salary and allowances for Liberal and Nationals backbenchers.
“How do you explain giving every member of your government except the poor member for East Hills a pay bump of between $5,000 and $150,000,” Ms Sharpe asked the Premier at a budget estimates hearing on Thursday.
Promotions have included parliamentary secretary and committee chair appointments.
East Hills MP Wendy Lindsay is the only Coalition MP on the base rate of $169,000 a year.
But Mr Perrottet refused to accept the spending was unwarranted.
“If you take on extra roles and responsibilities in your parliamentary duties there is an additional entitlement that’s provided in respect of those roles,” he said.
Ms Sharpe used the plight of health workers who are fighting for improved pay and conditions to attack Mr Perrottet.
“Nurses and hospital workers have taken on a lot of extra work, they’ll be lucky to get 1200 bucks out of you,” she told the hearing.
The Premier’s cabinet has a record 26 members, with NSW government ministers paid an extra $140,000 in salary and allowances on top of their base wage.
Senior ministers receive an additional $160,000.
Chairs of parliamentary committees are entitled to extra money, while parliamentary secretaries also receive almost $32,000 in additional pay.
Labor and crossbench MPs also chair committees.
Mr Perrottet said he was focused on outcomes.
“Ultimately having a strong ministerial team, having members who are parliamentary secretaries and who chair committees, I think who do important work,” he said.
There are 18 parliamentary secretaries, the most of any NSW government.
Unions have pressured the government to lift the 2.5 per cent annual wage cap on public sector pay.
Ms Sharpe said the maximum yearly increase for teachers was $1800.
“You’ve got 62 members, 61 of them all got a pay rise well above 2.5 per cent,” the Labor MP said.
The Premier was responsible for the decision to put a pause on public sector pay rises at the beginning of the Covid pandemic in 2020 during his time as NSW Treasurer.
“At a time when 270,000 people lost their job, it was an unpopular decision,” Mr Perrottet said.
Later in the hearing, Mr Perrottet indicated he may soften his stance on increasing public sector wages.
“I do want our nurses to be well paid just like I want all our public services to be well paid.” he said.
“I accept the sentiment and the proposition in the question that we need to do what we can to ensure that we have the highest-paid public servants and ensure that we have a fair system in place.
“Now obviously that has to be balanced against the challenges froxjmtzywm the budget position.”
