The SA Politics Thread

[SBD]

Our state governor is now going to be on $495,754 per year.

In 2021, the governor was on $351,015. A review at the time found it was lower then other state governors.

So in a bid to keep up with other state governors, the state Remuneration Tribunal has increase the governors salary by $140,000 in two years.
Fucking amazing during a cost of living crisis that is affecting the majority of people in this state and country.

Can we all go to the state Remuneration Tribunal and get a pay bump? Or is it reserved for the select few cunts we call politicians and their ilk?


https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sou ... 6e1148b246

Disgusting. A massive kick in the teeth to so many doing it tough. Politicians completely out of touch as always.

Is the Remuneration Tribunal report public information? It would be interesting to read/hear what makes her role worth that much besides "keeping up with the Joneses". Also, how does it compare with the Premier and senior Public Servants?

[Jaymz]

The Premier of South Australia doesn't even get paid that much from what i've read. Having said that, the top public servants get paid more than that anyways. Weird, yes.

[Norman]

The easiest way to fix this would be for Australia to become a republic. Done and dusted.

[SBD]

The easiest way to fix this would be for Australia to become a republic. Done and dusted.

What would you do to the states? Our governor represents the Monarch, not the governor-general. Would each state also become a mini-republic? Would we still have governors, but they’d represent the President?

[SRW]

The easiest way to fix this would be for Australia to become a republic. Done and dusted.

What would you do to the states? Our governor represents the Monarch, not the governor-general. Would each state also become a mini-republic? Would we still have governors, but they’d represent the President?

It needn't be so complicated. The governors (or whatever replaces them — if anything) would simply become sovereign in their own right. They need no longer represent anyone, just as the governor-general/President would stand alone. But either way, unless the separation of head of government from head of state is abolished, they're likely to be paid just as astonishingly in whatever system we end up.

[cmet]

Spicy take: politicians in general are underpaid. Follow up point, the governor isn’t a real politician and that is a ridiculous amount of coin for a largely ceremonial role.

[rev]

Parliament clerk payrises in spotlight after eyewatering salary boosts
Senior state parliament staff who scored eyewatering payrises last year were also in line for a second major boost last year, it can be revealed.

Kathryn Bermingham
@KatBermingham
2 min read
March 17, 2024 - 5:00PM


State parliamentary clerks were offered another payrise after they received an eyewatering boost of nearly $100,000 last financial year – but there are moves to have their salaries independently determined in future.

The Advertiser revealed earlier this month that total remuneration for clerks Rick Crump and Chris Schwarz had risen from $248,946 to about $337,000 in 2022-23.

For deputy clerks David Pegram and Guy Dickson, the figure rose from $178,675 to about $265,000.

Only base amounts of their new salaries were supplied but The Advertiser added 11 per cent to account for superannuation, making the before and after figures comparable.

Correspondence between the clerks and presiding officers of parliament – Lower House Speaker Dan Cregan and Upper House President Terry Stephens – revealed there were discussions about another pay rise late last year.

In the correspondence, released to Greens MLC Tammy Franks under Freedom of Information, Mr Cregan and Mr Stephens told the clerks another big payrise would be inappropriate.

“In view of the recent and significant increase in remuneration for the clerks, we believe it would be out of step with community expectations to give effect to another significant increase in December 2023,” a letter from the pair said.

But the 4 per cent they recommended for the clerks from January 1, 2024 would still amount to about $13,000 and take them to the $350,000 mark – and that’s not including what the presiding officers called “performance-based recognition” on top.

The clerks would not tell The Advertiser what pay rise they had asked for.

Mr Cregan and Mr Stephens told the clerks another salary review would be conducted after the clerks have implemented recommendations with respect to workplace culture, including those of the Equal Opportunity Commissioner.

A 2021 review by the commissioner found sexual harassment was prevalent in the parliamentary workplace and made 16 recommendations – but they have still not been fully implemented.

Revelations earlier this month that the clerks and deputy clerks had received massive payrises despite the outstanding recommendations drew criticism from some MPs, including Ms Franks who questioned “shouldn’t that have been a basic KPI (key performance indicator)?”

She will now introduce a private members’ bill to make setting the pay of the clerks a responsibility of the state’s Remuneration Tribunal.

“South Australians rightfully expect the parliament to employ staff and operate the workplace by modern and transparent means,” she said.

“That means executive level position salaries should be set by an independent remuneration tribunal, not still be done the way they were back in 1857.”

In a statement, the clerks and deputy clerks said the current mechanism for establishing the clerks’ and deputy clerks’ salaries in South Australia was consistent with a number of interstate jurisdictions.

“However, we would welcome the opportunity to go down the Remuneration Tribunal path which is consistent with several other interstate jurisdictions,” they said.

“In respect to the current clerk and deputy clerk salary negotiations involving the presiding officers, they remain ongoing and confidential.”

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sou ... 093d9c8ef9


Feel outraged yet?

That good old excuse, "it's how it's done/what they get interstate".

[SBD]

Parliament clerk payrises in spotlight after eyewatering salary boosts
Senior state parliament staff who scored eyewatering payrises last year were also in line for a second major boost last year, it can be revealed.

Kathryn Bermingham
@KatBermingham
2 min read
March 17, 2024 - 5:00PM


State parliamentary clerks were offered another payrise after they received an eyewatering boost of nearly $100,000 last financial year – but there are moves to have their salaries independently determined in future.

The Advertiser revealed earlier this month that total remuneration for clerks Rick Crump and Chris Schwarz had risen from $248,946 to about $337,000 in 2022-23.

For deputy clerks David Pegram and Guy Dickson, the figure rose from $178,675 to about $265,000.

Only base amounts of their new salaries were supplied but The Advertiser added 11 per cent to account for superannuation, making the before and after figures comparable.

Correspondence between the clerks and presiding officers of parliament – Lower House Speaker Dan Cregan and Upper House President Terry Stephens – revealed there were discussions about another pay rise late last year.

In the correspondence, released to Greens MLC Tammy Franks under Freedom of Information, Mr Cregan and Mr Stephens told the clerks another big payrise would be inappropriate.

“In view of the recent and significant increase in remuneration for the clerks, we believe it would be out of step with community expectations to give effect to another significant increase in December 2023,” a letter from the pair said.

But the 4 per cent they recommended for the clerks from January 1, 2024 would still amount to about $13,000 and take them to the $350,000 mark – and that’s not including what the presiding officers called “performance-based recognition” on top.

The clerks would not tell The Advertiser what pay rise they had asked for.

Mr Cregan and Mr Stephens told the clerks another salary review would be conducted after the clerks have implemented recommendations with respect to workplace culture, including those of the Equal Opportunity Commissioner.

A 2021 review by the commissioner found sexual harassment was prevalent in the parliamentary workplace and made 16 recommendations – but they have still not been fully implemented.

Revelations earlier this month that the clerks and deputy clerks had received massive payrises despite the outstanding recommendations drew criticism from some MPs, including Ms Franks who questioned “shouldn’t that have been a basic KPI (key performance indicator)?”

She will now introduce a private members’ bill to make setting the pay of the clerks a responsibility of the state’s Remuneration Tribunal.

“South Australians rightfully expect the parliament to employ staff and operate the workplace by modern and transparent means,” she said.

“That means executive level position salaries should be set by an independent remuneration tribunal, not still be done the way they were back in 1857.”

In a statement, the clerks and deputy clerks said the current mechanism for establishing the clerks’ and deputy clerks’ salaries in South Australia was consistent with a number of interstate jurisdictions.

“However, we would welcome the opportunity to go down the Remuneration Tribunal path which is consistent with several other interstate jurisdictions,” they said.

“In respect to the current clerk and deputy clerk salary negotiations involving the presiding officers, they remain ongoing and confidential.”

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sou ... 093d9c8ef9


Feel outraged yet?

That good old excuse, "it's how it's done/what they get interstate".

Paraphrased: Some other states use the old method, some use the proposed new method. We're happy to change because the states with the new method pay more.

I haven't checked that, but it's what the second-last and third-last paragraphs say to me.

[abc]

9News Adelaide
·
46m
EXCLUSIVE: A #9News investigation has now led to concerns at the highest level that former Premier Steven Marshall potentially breached the ministerial code of conduct when he took a paid position with a private defence company.
https://x.com/9NewsAdel/status/1770354985810694596?s=20

nothing to see here and Mali is of course fine with it while he shills for weapons to Ukraine

[rubberman]

I wonder if the result in Dunstan is a smack in the head for Dutton's nuclear push, or the apparent ascendancy of the extreme right in the Liberals as witnessed by putting Antic at the top of the ticket.

The result in Dunstan was huge for the Greens, and you'd wonder how much the nuclear debate pushed people into voting for them. A lot of people who are business minded and financially literate worry about power prices, and know that nuclear won't help at all. Such people are impatient with what is obvious political theatre...and nuclear power is certainly an example of that.

Antic, like Bernardi, is on the extreme right wing. While rusted on supporters might hold their noses and vote Liberal if it moves in that direction, many others are turned off by it.

Labor also lost primary votes to the Greens, but nowhere near as much as the Liberals.

[abc]

I wonder if the result in Dunstan is a smack in the head for Dutton's nuclear push, or the apparent ascendancy of the extreme right in the Liberals as witnessed by putting Antic at the top of the ticket.

The result in Dunstan was huge for the Greens, and you'd wonder how much the nuclear debate pushed people into voting for them. A lot of people who are business minded and financially literate worry about power prices, and know that nuclear won't help at all. Such people are impatient with what is obvious political theatre...and nuclear power is certainly an example of that.

Antic, like Bernardi, is on the extreme right wing. While rusted on supporters might hold their noses and vote Liberal if it moves in that direction, many others are turned off by it.

Labor also lost primary votes to the Greens, but nowhere near as much as the Liberals.

I'm curious what policies they advocate that makes them extreme right wing...

can you enlighten me?

[rubberman]

I wonder if the result in Dunstan is a smack in the head for Dutton's nuclear push, or the apparent ascendancy of the extreme right in the Liberals as witnessed by putting Antic at the top of the ticket.

The result in Dunstan was huge for the Greens, and you'd wonder how much the nuclear debate pushed people into voting for them. A lot of people who are business minded and financially literate worry about power prices, and know that nuclear won't help at all. Such people are impatient with what is obvious political theatre...and nuclear power is certainly an example of that.

Antic, like Bernardi, is on the extreme right wing. While rusted on supporters might hold their noses and vote Liberal if it moves in that direction, many others are turned off by it.

Labor also lost primary votes to the Greens, but nowhere near as much as the Liberals.

I'm curious what policies they advocate that makes them extreme right wing...

can you enlighten me?

He's a member of the National Right faction of the Liberal Party. If the Liberal Party is a right wing party, then someone on the right of a right wing party is by definition extreme right wing. I mean, how else would you define someone to the right of a right wing party?

[abc]

I wonder if the result in Dunstan is a smack in the head for Dutton's nuclear push, or the apparent ascendancy of the extreme right in the Liberals as witnessed by putting Antic at the top of the ticket.

The result in Dunstan was huge for the Greens, and you'd wonder how much the nuclear debate pushed people into voting for them. A lot of people who are business minded and financially literate worry about power prices, and know that nuclear won't help at all. Such people are impatient with what is obvious political theatre...and nuclear power is certainly an example of that.

Antic, like Bernardi, is on the extreme right wing. While rusted on supporters might hold their noses and vote Liberal if it moves in that direction, many others are turned off by it.

Labor also lost primary votes to the Greens, but nowhere near as much as the Liberals.

I'm curious what policies they advocate that makes them extreme right wing...

can you enlighten me?

He's a member of the National Right faction of the Liberal Party. If the Liberal Party is a right wing party, then someone on the right of a right wing party is by definition extreme right wing. I mean, how else would you define someone to the right of a right wing party?

can you answer my original question or not?

[rubberman]

I'm curious what policies they advocate that makes them extreme right wing...

can you enlighten me?

He's a member of the National Right faction of the Liberal Party. If the Liberal Party is a right wing party, then someone on the right of a right wing party is by definition extreme right wing. I mean, how else would you define someone to the right of a right wing party?

can you answer my original question or not?

Can you google "National Right Faction".

If you are too lazy to spend ten seconds informing yourself via Google, it's not my problem. Anyone else interested enough will do so, and see what I was saying. Anyone not interested, I won't bore with something they don't care about.

[abc]

He's a member of the National Right faction of the Liberal Party. If the Liberal Party is a right wing party, then someone on the right of a right wing party is by definition extreme right wing. I mean, how else would you define someone to the right of a right wing party?

can you answer my original question or not?

Can you google "National Right Faction".

If you are too lazy to spend ten seconds informing yourself via Google, it's not my problem. Anyone else interested enough will do so, and see what I was saying. Anyone not interested, I won't bore with something they don't care about.

So you can't answer my question. That figures.