❓ The Leader of the Opposition questions the Premier about the salary package of the new Chief of Staff in relation to public sector renewal policies. The Premier defends the appointment and accuses the opposition of misunderstanding the policy and focusing on irrelevant details.
AnsweredQoN 310Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PREMIER —
CHIEF OF STAFF — APPOINTMENT
310. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
Prior to asking my question I
acknowledge, on behalf of the member for Mandurah, principal Jim Bell and the
teachers and student councillors from Lakelands Primary School in Mandurah who
are here today.
I refer to the appointment of the
Premier's new chief of staff, Mr Peter Rowe, and the public sector
renewal policy announced by the Treasurer in the budget midyear review.
(1) What is the total remunerative
package that the new chief of staff will receive?
(2) Will he be
awarded 60 per cent of the salary of the Premier's previous chief of
staff, as would apply to other workers across the public sector?
(3) If no to (2),
why not?
CHIEF OF STAFF — APPOINTMENT
310. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
Prior to asking my question I
acknowledge, on behalf of the member for Mandurah, principal Jim Bell and the
teachers and student councillors from Lakelands Primary School in Mandurah who
are here today.
I refer to the appointment of the
Premier's new chief of staff, Mr Peter Rowe, and the public sector
renewal policy announced by the Treasurer in the budget midyear review.
(1) What is the total remunerative
package that the new chief of staff will receive?
(2) Will he be
awarded 60 per cent of the salary of the Premier's previous chief of
staff, as would apply to other workers across the public sector?
(3) If no to (2),
why not?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Clearly,
the Leader of the Opposition does not understand the policy. It does not apply
to the salary of the individual; it applies to the budget of the entity, which,
in this case, is the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. The only part of
government —
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Members opposite do not understand. It does not mean the
person gets a lesser salary at all. So, members opposite do not understand.
However, it is interesting; there is only one part of the public sector to
which the renewal policy does not apply, and that is the Leader of the
Opposition's office. That has been exempted. That is the only part. It
applies across every other area, all ministerial offices, but, clearly, members
opposite do not understand the policy.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have said about 10 times: the policy does not apply to the salary of an
individual; it applies across the budget of the agency, however that is funded.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The Leader of the Opposition does not understand the policy. It applies across
all the public sector, ministerial offices, term-of-government employees and
the like, with the exception of the Leader of the Opposition's own
office.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It does not mean —
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro! I do not want to call you, member for Victoria Park.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
think I have made the point. Mr Rowe was appointed with the same conditions
that Mr Pontifex had—exactly the same salary. Can I just say that
Western Australians should feel proud of Brian Pontifex. He was my chief of
staff for five years and has been appointed as the ambassador of the Australian
government to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. I
think it is a very good achievement for a young Western Australia to be
appointed ambassador to the OECD. All the opposition can focus on, though, is
the salary, and the salary is exactly the same.
the Leader of the Opposition does not understand the policy. It does not apply
to the salary of the individual; it applies to the budget of the entity, which,
in this case, is the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. The only part of
government —
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Members opposite do not understand. It does not mean the
person gets a lesser salary at all. So, members opposite do not understand.
However, it is interesting; there is only one part of the public sector to
which the renewal policy does not apply, and that is the Leader of the
Opposition's office. That has been exempted. That is the only part. It
applies across every other area, all ministerial offices, but, clearly, members
opposite do not understand the policy.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have said about 10 times: the policy does not apply to the salary of an
individual; it applies across the budget of the agency, however that is funded.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The Leader of the Opposition does not understand the policy. It applies across
all the public sector, ministerial offices, term-of-government employees and
the like, with the exception of the Leader of the Opposition's own
office.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It does not mean —
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro! I do not want to call you, member for Victoria Park.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
think I have made the point. Mr Rowe was appointed with the same conditions
that Mr Pontifex had—exactly the same salary. Can I just say that
Western Australians should feel proud of Brian Pontifex. He was my chief of
staff for five years and has been appointed as the ambassador of the Australian
government to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. I
think it is a very good achievement for a young Western Australia to be
appointed ambassador to the OECD. All the opposition can focus on, though, is
the salary, and the salary is exactly the same.
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