Premier Weatherill’s secret appointment of his own ‘internal consultant’ is wasting another $160,000 per year of taxpayers’ money.
Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Warren McCann told the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee he had been appointed last October by Premier Weatherill as his own ‘internal consultant’.
Mr McCann confirmed his total remuneration package is now $350,000 per year. Minister Gago confirmed in Parliament he was already being paid $190,000 per year for a part-time (2½ days per week) job as the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment.
Mr McCann also confirmed the decision had been taken by the Governor in Executive Council but he didn’t believe it had been gazetted.
“Mr Weatherill must explain why he has tried to keep this decision secret by making no public announcement or by gazetting the decision,” Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas said.
“It is clear Mr Weatherill is sensitive to criticism about spending so much taxpayers’ money on his ‘internal consultant’ and was hoping he could keep it secret.
“Mr Weatherill should now come clean about what ‘reviews’ Mr McCann has already conducted. Mr Weatherill also needs to explain how conflicts of interest between the two roles given to Mr McCann will be managed and resolved.”
In other evidence to the Committee Mr McCann advised:
• As at 31/1/12 there were still 408 excess employees in the public sector
• More than 400 employees in the public sector were receiving attraction or retention allowances – in some cases these are as high as 30-40% extra
• He had redrafted an advice to public servants on ‘dealings with MPs’ as the original had been poorly drafted.