NORTHERN Victoria Upper House MP Tim Quilty says politicians deserve pay rises – but admits it’s a bad look coming out of another Covid lockdown.
The Liberal Democrats member joined other MPs in the region to pledge to donate some or all of their recent 2.5 per cent pay rise to local charities.
The Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal, set up to independently decide pay levels for MPs, announced on June 25 a pay hike that would take the base salary of politicians to $186,973.
Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said a Swan Hill charity would benefit from his pay rise.
“Last year I donated these funds to St Vinnies Swan Hill and will do the same this financial year,” he told The Guardian.
Mr Quilty said he would donate “at least” half of his $4674 rise to an undecided charity.
“If I was to justify it, it would be because it was my salary, paid to me for doing my job,” he said.
“I like getting paid, and I have no in-principle objection to getting pay rises.”
Mr Quilty said MPs deserved to get pay rises.
“Victorian MPs are amongst the lowest paid MPs in Australia,” he said.
“The pay rises are now determined by an independent tribunal, so they are at least hands-off from actual MPs making decisions.”
Asked if it was a bad look for politicians to be awarded a pay rise coming out of lockdown, Mr Quilty said “absolutely a bad look”.
“I can’t in good conscience take the money in these circumstances.”
Mr Quilty said he didn’t call on his fellow MPs to do anything, let alone donate their pay rises.
“I don’t know what their financial situations are, and it is none of my business,” he said.
Justice Party’s Tania Maxwell said the salary increase wasn’t appropriate during the ongoing pandemic when businesses faced uncertainty and significant financial pressure.
“I have always given from my salary to a range of charities and community organisations and will continue to do so,” she said.
Liberal’s Wendy Lovell said she would also donate to local charities in the Northern Victoria electorate.
Labor’s Mark Gepp and Jaclyn Symes said they regularly made personal donations to a number of charities in the community, irrespective of a pay rise.
A spokesperson said Ms Symes donated her whole pay rise last year to vulnerable groups in her electorate who were hit hard by issues caused by the pandemic.
