3.8% payrise for pollies

Consider the following when you vote or change your vote on GA6. Late yesterday the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal released a salary determination for Members of Parliament, senior public servants and others. The Tribunal has determined the following...

• a flat increase of $5,585 will be applied to the base salary of a back bench Member of Parliament and all other office holders – equating to adjustments of between 1.6% (for the Premier) and 3.8% (for a back bench member). The annual base salary for a back bench Member of Parliament will increase to $154,223;
   
•  a flat increase of $5,474 will be applied to senior public service salaries, equating to an adjustment of between 1.1% and 3%;
   
• a 3% increase will be applied to the top of each salary range for Local Government Chief Executive Officers (with no adjustment to the lower range); and
   
• a 2.5% increase will be applied to the salaries of the State judiciary, including members of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

The Salaries and Allowances Tribunal media statement says “Ultimately the Tribunal determined that adjustments to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index should be applied.”

These factors are those Premier Barnett set as the basis for public sector wage determinations through legislation passed by Parliament earlier this year.

Premier Barnett’s current offer provides for a 2.75% wage increase which results in an annual increase between $608 to $5, 066.

In light of the Salaries and Allowances determination we have formally requested that the Premier, Colin Barnett review the current offer to their public service workforce and improve the offer in line with that awarded to the Members of Parliament.