Mrs BRAHAM - 1996-11-28
This morning, on 8DDD during Fred McCue's program, the member for MacDonnell claimed that the opposition was under-resourced and understaffed in comparison with government ministers. What level of support does the Leader of the Opposition receive compared with other opposition leaders throughout Australia?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has been bleating about this for some time. On radio this morning, we heard the member for MacDonnell parroting those same complaints. In fact, I believe he said that the opposition has only 4 staff when, in fact, it has 7. It is rather an understatement when you almost halve the number. When the Leader of the Opposition is bleating about her resources, she would have to concede that, unlike my predecessor, I have increased her global amount. I have taken her staffing levels up to $350 000. That is more than the Deputy Chief Minister receives. I believe he averages about $280 000 and most of the ministers average $260 000. In fact, I took the Leader of the Opposition ...
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
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Mr STONE: If you will be quiet - I know this is embarrassing for you, but you will have to listen. I took your staffing level up to $350 000. That does not take into account your open-ended entitlement in terms of operating in the same terms as a minister of the Crown. Based on current estimates, the figure will exceed $780 000 for your office this year.
How does that compare with other opposition leaders around the country, given that we are a small parliament and the Territory has a small population? I thought the obvious places with which to make comparisons would be the ACT and Tasmania. How does that $780 000 compare? I am advised that the figure is $362 000 in Tasmania and $227 500 in the ACT. Quite clearly, the Leader of the Opposition is travelling very well. Let us look at the staffing levels. The Leader of the Opposition in the Territory has 7 staff. In Tasmania and the ACT, the Leaders of the Opposition have 5 staff. Let us go up a ratchet to a state that is little bigger than us - South Australia. Bear in mind that the Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory runs at about $780 000. In South Australia, Mike Rann, the Leader of the Opposition, has a global figure in the vicinity of $559 000 - let us call it $600 000 - and has 7 staff plus one casual. The average number of staff for government ministers in the Territory
is 6. There is an exception to that. The Attorney-General and Minister for Health Services, who has extra responsibilities, has 7 staff. He has as many staff as the Leader of the Opposition. As for this ...
Mr Bailey: How much do you spend?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Hatton: He has responsibilities too.
Mr Bailey: He has more than Western Australia.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: The problem with the interjections, Mr Speaker, is that somehow the Leader of the Opposition has concocted the idea in her head that she is on a par with the Chief Minister. She is not in government. However, being Leader of the Opposition brings certain things with the patch. The Leader of the Opposition in the Territory - and it is important that Territorians know this - is very generously resourced and staffed. People listening to this broadcast will have heard the comparison of the figures. At $780 000, I think her counterparts in the ACT, Tasmania and South Australia would be very envious of the very generous way in which she is treated by this government.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has been bleating about this for some time. On radio this morning, we heard the member for MacDonnell parroting those same complaints. In fact, I believe he said that the opposition has only 4 staff when, in fact, it has 7. It is rather an understatement when you almost halve the number. When the Leader of the Opposition is bleating about her resources, she would have to concede that, unlike my predecessor, I have increased her global amount. I have taken her staffing levels up to $350 000. That is more than the Deputy Chief Minister receives. I believe he averages about $280 000 and most of the ministers average $260 000. In fact, I took the Leader of the Opposition ...
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
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Mr STONE: If you will be quiet - I know this is embarrassing for you, but you will have to listen. I took your staffing level up to $350 000. That does not take into account your open-ended entitlement in terms of operating in the same terms as a minister of the Crown. Based on current estimates, the figure will exceed $780 000 for your office this year.
How does that compare with other opposition leaders around the country, given that we are a small parliament and the Territory has a small population? I thought the obvious places with which to make comparisons would be the ACT and Tasmania. How does that $780 000 compare? I am advised that the figure is $362 000 in Tasmania and $227 500 in the ACT. Quite clearly, the Leader of the Opposition is travelling very well. Let us look at the staffing levels. The Leader of the Opposition in the Territory has 7 staff. In Tasmania and the ACT, the Leaders of the Opposition have 5 staff. Let us go up a ratchet to a state that is little bigger than us - South Australia. Bear in mind that the Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory runs at about $780 000. In South Australia, Mike Rann, the Leader of the Opposition, has a global figure in the vicinity of $559 000 - let us call it $600 000 - and has 7 staff plus one casual. The average number of staff for government ministers in the Territory
is 6. There is an exception to that. The Attorney-General and Minister for Health Services, who has extra responsibilities, has 7 staff. He has as many staff as the Leader of the Opposition. As for this ...
Mr Bailey: How much do you spend?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Hatton: He has responsibilities too.
Mr Bailey: He has more than Western Australia.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: The problem with the interjections, Mr Speaker, is that somehow the Leader of the Opposition has concocted the idea in her head that she is on a par with the Chief Minister. She is not in government. However, being Leader of the Opposition brings certain things with the patch. The Leader of the Opposition in the Territory - and it is important that Territorians know this - is very generously resourced and staffed. People listening to this broadcast will have heard the comparison of the figures. At $780 000, I think her counterparts in the ACT, Tasmania and South Australia would be very envious of the very generous way in which she is treated by this government.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016