Toowoomba Regional Council - winning candidates face wage freeze ...

Excerpt from Quest News:

Pay freeze extends to city hall

15 February 2008

Brisbane: Freshly elected local government councillors can forget about a pay rise in their first year of the new term after a freeze on government wage rises last week.

The decision by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to cap politicians' pay levels for a year in a bid to curb inflationary wage rises could cost Brisbane City councillors more than $6000 each for the year.

Councillors pay packets rose 6.7 per cent last year after a lift in executive salaries by the independent Remuneration Commission triggered a domino effect through government tiers.

Councillors' salaries are tied to State MP pay levels, which are tied to Federal backbenchers' pay, which in turn is based on rates set by the Commission each June.

If wage rates were to increase by 5 per cent from this July, the freeze could save ratepayers about $187,367, with Lord Mayor Campbell Newman missing out on $10,200 and councillors about $6,200 each.

Cr Newman said it would likely mean councillors would automatically forgo a wage rise.

"I am not here for the financial reward, if I didn't like my financial position I wouldn't be here," he said.

Labor Finance Committee chairman Kim Flesser backed the PM's decision.

"I think that in this time of increased inflation it is reasonable of people on high incomes like councillors and politicians to show some restraint," he said.

Local Government Association president Paul Bell said the move could help restrain rising council costs, but would not solve the problem itself.

An analysis released by the group last week has flagged the potential for large household rate rises as councils grapple to balance rising construction costs with restricted revenue bases.

Council costs rose from 4.5 per cent to 5.2 per cent in 2007.
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See - Councillors get wage freeze.