REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday, October 27, 2007

GOLD Coast Mayor Ron Clarke was to receive a $200,000-plus pay packet under a new tribunal wage system for councillors.

Local Government Minister Warren Pitt announced a new independent body would determine the future pay for Queensland councils.

The new pay scheme for councillors, who earned a base salary of $94,000, increased to $102,442, with the Gold Coast

City Council considered a category one council. This meant councillors and the Mayor were likely to receive healthy pay hikes under the new tribunal, headed by deputy president of the Queensland Industrial Relations Adrian Bloomfield and including Tarong Energy CEO Helen Gluer and former local government minister Di McCauley.

Cr Clarke would be bumped from $187,052 to $204,884 – an almost $18,000 pay rise on top of perks such as cars, phones and out-of-pocket expenses determined at the council’s discretion.

The deputy mayor’s pay as well as that of committee chairpersons also will rise from $125,000 and $110,000 respectively.

The mayor, who previously said the mayoral post was the worst-paying job he had had since he was 25, said he supported the new tribunal system.

“I didn’t ask for it. This is how it always should have been done,” said Cr Clarke. “It’s taken out of our hands. I didn’t get into this game for the money.” His new salary would be on par with a Queensland Cabinet minister