- New laws to freeze the pay of MPs and senior bureaucrats to be urgently introduced into Parliament this week
- The four-year freeze will assist in the important task of repairing the State's finances
- Part of the McGowan Government's wages policy, in which public sector workers will be given a $1,000 per year pay increase, saving $514 million in the State Budget
The McGowan Labor Government will today move to urgently pass new laws to freeze the pay of Members of Parliament and the most senior bureaucrats for the next four years.
The Salaries and Allowances Amendment (Debt and Deficit Remediation) Bill 2017 will be declared urgent and debated in State Parliament this week, in an effort to save $16 million in the State Budget.
The pay freeze will be applied to the most senior members of government, including the Governor; all Members of Parliament including the Premier and Ministers; clerks and deputy clerks of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly; judicial office holders, including masters of the Supreme Court and magistrates; the Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission; and executive officers of Government Trading Enterprises.
The freeze will not impact on local government CEOs and councillors as remuneration for these positions has no impact on the State's debt and deficit.
Premier Mark McGowan announced the pay freeze in May, as part of the McGowan Labor Government's new wages policy for the public sector. The wages policy provides an increase of $1,000 per year for all other public sector workers, including police, nurses and teachers.
Comments attributed to Premier Mark McGowan:
"We have made it clear that all sections of the community, including politicians and senior bureaucrats, have to play their part in getting the State's finances back on track.
"At a time when we are asking nurses, doctors, teachers, police officers, prison officers and other public sector workers to help with budget repair, it is only fair that Members of Parliament do their bit as well.
"Fixing the mess left behind by the Liberals and Nationals is a job that needs to be shared across the whole WA community.
"That's why we have also embarked on measures that make sure the corporate sector, including big businesses and successful gold miners play their part as well.
"WA's highest paid employees, including politicians, and major corporations need to accept that they need to do some of the heavy lifting.
"We've declared the Bill 'urgent' in order to enforce the freeze as soon as possible and I call on all Members of Parliament to guarantee its passage as soon as possible."
Premier's office - 6552 5000
