Page 1120 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 March 2013
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around that and the appropriateness of that salary. It did seem to me to be at the upper end, but we had not previously known the salary before that time. That advice came back to me that the salary, as the Treasurer said, was in line with industry standards. In relation to the $855,000, which I have known as the salary now for about a week, I was surprised when I saw that being the salary. The shareholders do not set the salary; the board sets the salary. We are seeking further advice on the appropriateness of that salary.
MADAM ACTING SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Chief Minister, you said across the chamber before that it was not reasonable. Do you have an on-the-record response and an off-the-record response that is different in regards to whether the salary of $850,000 is reasonable or not?
MS GALLAGHER: I think the point I am making is that I as an everyday person am surprised at the salary, but I am not an expert in benchmarking of salaries for work that the corporation does. I am not an expert; we are taking further advice. I find it surprising that that is the salary, but I am not an expert, and I expect that the board would take expert advice on an appropriate salary for their managing director, and that is what we are seeking further information on.
MADAM ACTING SPEAKER: A supplementary, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, why does the government believe it is important to pursue transparency of executive salaries?
MS GALLAGHER: As I have indicated to the Assembly, I, as Treasurer, brought in the amendments that were debated and that allowed for transparency in executive remuneration within territory-owned corporations. We already have a very high level of transparency around executive remuneration within the ACT public service. I think it goes to issues of trust and confidence for the community to understand what executive salaries are being paid. I think that is why it is important—in terms of openness, in terms of transparency and in terms of accountability.
When we have had a discrepancy of the order which we have had—I think it goes to the heart of why the shareholders have raised concerns with ACTEW—it questions that trust, it questions that confidence and it certainly questions the transparency. That is why the Treasurer has appropriately informed the Assembly at the first opportunity that we could of what the error was and has also indicated that, when we get further information back from the chair of the corporation, we will be updating the Assembly fully on a range of matters relating to this incident.
Mr Hanson: Madam Acting Speaker, I seek leave to table a document that may add some clarity to the question that was asked. It is entitled “ACTEW head’s salary reasonable”. It is a press release from 8 October 2010, in relation to the $650,000 amount, where the Chief Minister said that that was not unreasonable.
MADAM ACTING SPEAKER: Is leave granted?
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