The price of defeat: Brendan Nelson $306 p/w better off

Tony Abbott, with a rather whimsical smile, has drawn attention to the problems of adjustment faced by former Government Ministers without independent means who find themselves as ordinary Members of Parliament. A salary drop of $1833 a week takes some getting used to.

Perhaps Mr Abbott should spare a thought for his former colleague Mark Vaile who has gone from the exalted position of Deputy Prime Minister on $260,480 a year to a humble backbencher earning $127,060. Family budgets surely suffer with $2566 less in the weekly kitty.

At least the Dr Brendan Nelson has no reason to complain. He alone among members of the former Howard Ministry has actually had a pay increase of $306 a week. As a Cabinet Minister he was on $219,180 a year. That has risen to $235,070 as Leader of the Opposition.

Old Annual Salary

New Annual Salary

Weekly Difference

Dr Brendan John Nelson MP

219180

235070

+$306

Julie Isabel Bishop MP

219180

200120

-$366

Anthony David Hawthorn Smith MP

158830

127060

-$611

Christopher John Pearce MP

158830

127060

-$611

Senator Richard Mansell Colbeck

158830

127060

-$611

Robert Charles Baldwin MP

158830

127060

-$611

Gregory Andrew Hunt MP

158830

127060

-$611

Sussan Penelope Ley MP

158830

127060

-$611

Patrick Francis Farmer MP

158830

127060

-$611

Peter John Lindsay MP

158830

127060

-$611

Senator Brett John Mason

158830

127060

-$611

Warren Errol Truss MP

219180

184240

-$672

Senator Nicholas Hugh Minchin

238240

200120

-$733

Senator Eric Abetz

212830

152480

-$1161

Frances Esther Bailey MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Peter Craig Dutton MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Dr Sharman Nancy Stone MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Bruce Frederick Billson MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Christopher Maurice Pyne MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Andrew John Robb MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Senator George Henry Brandis SC

200120

127060

-$1405

Senator Nigel Gregory Scullion

200120

127060

-$1405

Senator David Albert Johnston

200120

127060

-$1405

John Kenneth Cobb MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Alexander John Gosse Downer MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Philip Maxwell Ruddock MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Peter John McGauran MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Kevin James Andrews MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Ian Elgin Macfarlane MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Joseph Benedict Hockey MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Senator Helen Lloyd Coonan

219180

127060

-$1772

Malcolm Bligh Turnbull MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Christopher Martin Ellison

219180

127060

-$1772

Anthony John Abbott MP

222360

127060

-$1833

Peter Howard Costello MP

238240

127060

-$2138

Mark Anthony James Vaile MP

260480

127060

-$2566

5 Comments

  1. Michael
    Posted Thursday, 31 January 2008 at 5:44 pm | Permalink

    Perhaps they may now have some concept of their slashing of disability pensioners welfare or the miniscule amount carers are given .Doubt it though-it’s all about them as usual.

  2. Hugh
    Posted Thursday, 31 January 2008 at 2:44 pm | Permalink

    We should remember that parliamentarians’ remuneration is far more than the listed figures, due to very generous allowances, lurks and perks. It would be nice to hear exactly what MPs’ total “packages” are, rather than just their gross income in dollars.

  3. tomcowen
    Posted Thursday, 31 January 2008 at 4:05 pm | Permalink

    And John Winston Howard? What is his current emolument (include estimates for gold passes etc) but without the talk circuit) please?

  4. allan kessing
    Posted Thursday, 31 January 2008 at 7:06 pm | Permalink

    Perhaps they’d appreciate a “Sorry” statement as well.?

  5. Patrick
    Posted Thursday, 31 January 2008 at 1:22 pm | Permalink

    Richard Farmer neglects to include in his list of former Coalition Ministers “doing it tough” the highest paid former Minister, JWH. I guess he gets a tidy Parly pension, and the gold card, which probably keeps him level with Brendan Nelson. Any figures?