Liberal MP Ken Wyatt has called for politicians to get a pay rise despite many Australians struggling with the current rising cost of living.
Federal politicians earn a salary of at least $211,250, while those in the federal cabinet, such as Wyatt, get a salary of $426,619 a year or $7,109 a week.
The current minimum wage for Australians is $772.60 a week.
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Wyatt, who is the Indigenous Australians Minister, gets a tax-funded salary and also receives an extra 14.5 per cent superannuation contribution.
Wyatt first made the claims in a 2018 interview with the Good Weekend where he expressed his thoughts on the wage of politicians compared to public servants.
When asked about his current wage and whether he believed it was justified he replied with the belief that ‘we don’t pay our politicians enough’.
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He said: “You want people who are going to go in and look after the interests of all Australians. I earned more as a public servant than as a backbencher. I look at the corporate sector and can't see how you justify salaries of $18m.”
Australians are currently facing a 5.1 per cent rise in annual inflation, while the wage price index is said to be 2.3 per cent higher than a year earlier according to The Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The Australian reported this week that Wyatt still maintained the belief that the base salary should be increased.
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A spokesperson said: “Mr Wyatt believes it’s important that our parliament attracts a diverse range of people, reflective of the Australian population. He is proud to be the first Indigenous Australian elected to the House of Representatives.
“His comments were in relation to the decision he took to enter parliament, and the fact he earned more as a public servant (as director, Aboriginal Health, for Western Australia’s Department of Health) than as a backbencher.
“It’s ultimately about serving the community, and that’s why he put up his hand to represent Hasluck and is now delivering on his plan.”
Wyatt’s comments have been labelled as out of touch.
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Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sally McManus, tweeted: “So Ken Wyatt the Liberal MP for Hasluck says he should get a pay rise when he is on $426K.
“He says he works hard. Well so do aged care workers on $24/hour who can’t afford rent or food. If there is a list of ppl deserving pay rises, he is at the bottom.”
It must be tough living off $200 an hour.
Featured Image Credit: dpa picture alliance / Alamy. Hugh Adams / Alamy.Topics: Australia
