POLITICIANS' PAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23058, 8 June 1938, Page 16

POLITICIANS' PAY

VICTORIAN PARLIAMENT AGITATION FOR INCREASE ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR [FROJI OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] MELBOURNE. June 2 Hard on tlio action of members of the Federal Parliament in increasing their salaries to tho level current before the depression, an agitation has begun for raising the salaries of the members of tin; Victorian Parliament. Federal salaries were raised from £950 to £IOOO, and tho allowances for Ministers were increased by £230. However, as the Ministerial allowances aro shared with tho Government whips, the effective increase for Ministers will be slightly less than £230. A special allowance of £ISOO was made to thfe Prime Minister, Mr. <T. A. Lyons, tho practical effect of which will bo to increaso tho total payments to him to about £4OOO a year. it was revealed in Melbourne thiß week that since February tho Premier, Mr. A. A. Dunstan, had been receiving an allowance of £3OO a year for entertainment and other expenses, and that tho Leader of tho Opposition, Sir Stanley Argyle, had had his allowance increased by £l5O to £350 a year, which is paid in addition to his salary of £SOO as a member of the Legislative Assembly. Remuneration ol State Premiers Tho salary of the Premier, apart from allowances, is now £I6OO a year, and Ministers in Victoria receive £I2OO. _ . Salaries received by other State Premiers are:—New South Wales, Mr. Stevens, £l7lO with cuts which are still operating; normal salary £2445. South Australia, Mr. Butler: £llOO a year, plus Parliamentary salary of £4OO. Western Australia, Mr. Willcock: £I2OO a year, plus Parliamentary salary of £SOO. Tasmania, Mr. Ogilvie: Special allowance of £250 as Premier, plus £1250 as a Minister and £SOO as Parliamentary salary; total £2OOO. Queensland, Mr. Forgan Smith: £1450 ii/id no salary as a member of Parliament. Comparative payments to ordinary members of State Parliaments are:— Now South Wales, £670; Victoria, £500; Queensland, £650; Western Australia, £600; Tasmania, £4OO to £o00; South Australia, £4OO. Matter not before the Cabinet Many members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly consider that their salaries are inadequate. They say their Parliamentary duties form a fulltime job and that they are involved by the nature of their work in heavy personal expenses. Country members I during session have to provide a second ! home for themselves or live in a 'City ! hotel for several months of each year, i But there is also some opposition by I members to an increase. Mrs. Clarence Weber, Victoria's only woman mem'her said the salaries paid at present i were not sufficient, but there were more \ urgent demands on State revenue. Both housing and educational pro- ! grammes needed large amounts or additional Government expenditure, and | until those needs had been met an increase in members' salaries should The Premier said before his departure for a holiday in Queensland a few days ago that the question of Parliamentary salaries had not been mentioned in the Cabinet room. No representations had been made to the Mm istry and the question had not received the' slightest consideration.