In the lead up to the March State Election the former Labor Green Government secretly and significantly bolstered their staff numbers.
On June 30, 2012 there was 83 ministerial staff and parliamentary office holders support staff, yet by December 31 last year this increased to 103.
This included an increase in the Premier’s office from 16 to 19.8, and almost a 50 per cent jump in the communications office from 8.6 to 12.
In the first few months of this year, the previous Government also appointed a number of additional people on short-term contracts.
From January 1 to March 30 the Labor Government made nine short-term appointments with annual salaries totalling more than $385,000, bolstering staff in its own office and the office of the Greens’ in the lead-up to the State Election.
Despite being a vocal critic of the then Premier, the former Labor Member for Braddon Brenton Best was provided with an additional three staff in the pre-election period on salaries of more than $50,000; all on short term contracts from January to March 2014.
An additional media adviser was also added to the ranks for the final moments before the election, from February to March, on a salary of $95,000.
At the time of the election the ministerial communications office was $234,000 over budget and the office of then Premier Lara Giddings was $350,000 over budget.
Will Hodgman, Premier
