Judges, MPs, public servants to be hit with four-year pay freeze under Labor plan to save $20m
Updated 16 minutes ago

Mark McGowan addresses the media in a blue suit and red tie with the WA flag behind him
PHOTO: Mr McGowan says the pay freeze will save $20 milion. (ABC News: Andrew Carmody)
RELATED STORY: Number of WA government departments slashed by 40pc
MAP: WA
WA Premier Mark McGowan is pushing for a four-year pay freeze on the salaries of all politicians and senior public servants in a bid to reign in the state's ballooning budget deficit.

The plan would save the State Government an estimated $20 million.

A spokesman for the Premier said the salaries of politicians, public service bosses, judges, magistrates and all local council chief executives would be frozen until 2021.

Their pay is currently set by the independent Salaries and Allowances Tribunal, but Mr McGowan said he would introduce legislation into Parliament to take that decision away from the tribunal.

It is the second time he has targeted the public service for budget savings since winning office in March.

He has already announced the number of government departments will be cut from 41 to 25 and a service priority review of government to gut $750 million from the public service over four years.

The number of job losses resulting from that reform is unclear.

Move will create resentment: analyst

Political analyst David Black said Mr McGowan's attack on the public sector reminded him of the first days of former Labor premier Brian Burke in the 1980s.

"He actually made a move of this kind and it was a very decisive move," he said.

"The pay freeze will probably resonate with the community, they will think he is taking strong action to deal with the situation."

But Mr Black warned it would create resentment within the public sector.

"It's one of those things which will have a significant degree of popular support but it will not be all that welcome in certain parts of the community," he said.
Community and Public Sector Union state secretary Toni Walkington said the public sector was being targeted unfairly.

"We're very concerned that the public service seems to be the only strategy to address the fiscal situation for the state," she said.

"They really do need to find another way. There is no more to give and it's simply wrong to punish public servants."

Fat chance. Its a diversion.