Anger At MP Staff Pay Offer

A senior One Nation figure has lashed out at the Albanese government's latest pay offer to parliamentary staff, arguing a rise of 11.2 per cent over three years is a “kick in the guts” to taxpayers.

Pauline Hanson's chief-ofstaff, James Ashby, said he would be voting against the proposal averaging an above-inflation rise of 3.75 per cent each year of the agreement.

“This is a kick in the guts to every taxpayer working in the private sector who ultimately wears the cost of this wage increase for government staff,” Mr Ashby said. “It's an even bigger insult to those on fixed government payments like the pension or Job-Seeker recipients who only recently received a $20-a-week increase.

“Members of parliament staff are already provided some of the highest-paid wages in the country, with more than favourable benefits, including 15 per cent superannuation, paid professional development degrees, countless leave entitlements, and family-friendly work hours.

“The 11.2 per cent increase ... proves that the Prime Minister and Labor are ignorant of the inflationary warnings made by the RBA and are completely out of touch with the public.”

Staff will vote on the deal from August 12-19.

A government spokeswoman refused to comment. A spokeswoman for opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said “political staff work incredibly hard and deserve a pay rise”.