The Chief Minister’s gig in the territory just became a whole lot more attractive, with its designated salary rising to almost $300,000 a year from July 1 after the ACT Remuneration Tribunal increased MLAs’ salaries by 4 per cent.
MLAs on a base salary will now take home $142,200 per year, while the Chief Minister (Andrew Barr initially and either Mr Barr or Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson after the election) will be paid an annual salary of $299,000.
In addition, MLAs receive car, travel and communications allowances and loadings depending on committee memberships and whether they are, for example, a minister, the speaker, or whip. These loadings are set out in the charts above and below.
Senior ACT bureaucrats will receive a 2.5 per cent increase, in consideration of competition to attract high performing and capable executives to the ACT Public Service. The Tribunal flagged that it will undertake a review on ACTPS Executives salary and entitlements in the future.
The larger rise for MLAs was partly in recognition of the personal contributions that MLAs now make towards their own ongoing professional development following the abolition of study travel, according to a statement from the ACT Remuneration Tribunal.
The Tribunal has also increased the salary for the position of Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, currently Tom Duncan, by 10 per cent to $216,060 in recognition of increased responsibilities in an expanded assembly.
Meanwhile, judges in the ACT Supreme Court will be paid $420,810 under determinations announced today. The Chief Justice will be paid an additional $42,081 above that figure. The Associate Judge of the Supreme Court will be paid $378,729. These rates though announced today came into force January 1 this year.
See the full determinations of the tribunal here.
