imcrookonit
Ex Member
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POWER bosses have been handed another pay rise just months after they received tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses.
Energy Minister Peter Collier yesterday confirmed he had given WA's electricity company chiefs a 3.5 per cent pay rise, adding about $13,000 to their $500,000-plus salaries.
Verve Energy boss Shirley In't Veld and Western Power head Doug Aberle also got bonuses of $127,277 and $92,000 respectively at the end of the past financial year.
Both already get paid more than Premier Colin Barnett and stand to get more bonuses at the end of this financial year.
The Opposition has labelled the salary increases an insult to West Australians who are battling to pay massively increased electricity bills, up 46 per cent in the past two years. But Mr Collier said the electricity chiefs deserved the rises because their base salaries had been frozen for two years.
Mr Collier said the boards of Verve Energy and Western Power had wanted more than the 3.5 per cent rises, but he had refused.
It is not yet known how much more the bosses of Synergy and Horizon Power, WA's other two power utilities, will receive in pay rises.
"This figure (3.5 per cent) is considerably lower than recommendations submitted by the respective boards and is consistent with determinations of the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal," Mr Collier said.
"While recognising that the electricity corporations are not part of the public service, it is important that standardised remuneration packages are introduced.
"The base salaries for the managing directors of Verve Energy, Western Power and Synergy have remained frozen since September 2008, while the base salary for Horizon Power's MD has been frozen since 2009.
"In addition, I will be removing all bonus provisions as the contracts for each of the corporations' MDs come up for renewal."
Opposition Leader Eric Ripper said the salary increases were insulting.
"West Australians paying 46 per cent extra on their electricity bills will be outraged that the minister has topped up the high salaries of energy executives," Mr Ripper said.
"The minister has said he has no choice but to pay these executives their bonuses, but he has had a choice on this pay increase and he has chosen to add it to the bonuses already paid.
"People doing it tough for this Christmas must wonder about Mr Barnett's priorities. Our electorate officers are receiving huge numbers of complaints about the size of the electricity bills."
Comments on this story
* Paul of West Oz Posted at 12:53 PM Today
OK, a pay rise in line with outside industry of a similar nature, although a lifetime job if you want it in a State near-monopoly can't be too similar to too many outside industries, but a "bonus"? What for?
* Elec Trocuted of Perth Posted at 12:48 PM Today
What else is this government going to do with all the money being ripped off the public. Barney's money bag just isn't big enough to hold it all so give to those who don't need it.
* Micko of Wait Awhile Posted at 12:45 PM Today
Getting a pay increase for increasing the tarif on electricity is bordering on criminal. I wouldn't mind IF these people were delivering sustainable and cheaper power but that hasn't happened.
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