HUON MLC Paul Harriss has proposed a solution to the parliamentary salaries impasse designed to deliver the Government outcome, while enshrining no link to federal PM pay rates as well as removing the link to politicians setting their own pay.
Last Friday Huon MLC, Paul Harriss, sought a meeting with Premier Lara Giddings to suggest a solution to the impasse on parliamentary salaries.
The Premier has not responded to date, so Mr Harriss intends to put his suggested solution to the Legislative Council at its next sitting on 19 June.
Mr Harriss said there are three fundamental principles to be applied to any salary consideration for MPs.
“First that there are no linkages to the salary of federal MPs, thereby ensuring Tasmanian MPs do not get any of the 38 per cent increase about to flow to federal members,” Mr Harriss said.
“Second, Tasmanian MPs should have no input into setting their salaries – a principle enshrined in 1997 on the back of politicians earlier awarding themselves a 40 per cent increase.
“Thirdly, linking in any way to the public sector is inappropriate because the premier of the day has input to setting public sector wages and any resulting increase would, under the government’s xurrent proposal, automatically flow to MPs.”
The Harriss proposal is to set the salary of Tasmanian MPs at 85.95 per cent of the average of all other states and territories, thereby unlinking from the federal levels.
“This ensures Tasmanian MPs only receive a 2 per cent increase in 2012-13 which is consistent with the wage agreement between the government and public sector unions,” Mr Harriss said.
“Future salaries would be linked to the national average but disregarding the federal levels.
“I am disappointed the Premier has not responded to my request for a meeting so that I could have put this proposal to her as a productive and equitable solution to the current impasse.
“Ms Giddings has chosen instead to contact other MLC’s this week to put forward her singular views, whereas I was proposing a mutually agreed position – which has been sadly lacking with the Government’s handling of this matter to date.”
