The new Governor-General has received public support from one of Australia’s leading republicans after facing criticism over her 43 per cent pay rise.
Sam Mostyn was sworn in as Governor General on Monday and will receive a salary of $709,017 for each year of her five-year term, significantly more than the $495,000 salary of outgoing head of state David Hurley.
Ms Mostyn, a climate change and gender equality campaigner, is said to have a close personal friendship with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
He will receive a higher salary in office because he has not received Commonwealth military pensions, which Mr Hurley had collected in addition to his Governor-General salary.
In a shock turn of events, Peter FitzSimons, the former leader of the Australian Republican Movement, has come to the defence of Ms Mostyn, whose new role makes her the British monarch’s official representative in Australia.
Mr FitzSimons defended her pay, saying it was not something she had asked for, and also explained that technically speaking it was not a pay rise.
“For all the bluster and hate, she did not ask for or receive a pay rise at the whim of the Prime Minister or anyone else,” FitzSimons tweeted.
“The formula says that GG (receives) the same salary as the President of the Supreme Court. But the previous GG could not receive the same salary, so the military pension (was) deducted from the salary.”
The new Governor-General has received public support from one of Australia’s leading republicans, Peter FitzSimons (right with his wife Lisa Wilkinson) after facing criticism over her pay rise.
Sam Mostyn (left), who is reportedly close friends with Anthony Albanese (right), was sworn in as Governor General on Monday and will receive an annual salary of $709,017, significantly more than outgoing head of state David Hurley’s $495,000 pay cheque.
Although Mr FitzSimons praised Ms Mostyn as a “woman of the people”, he has previously criticised the process for appointing the Governor-General, which goes through King Charles III.
“Am I the only one who is ashamed that in 2024 we have to go through this shameful situation?” he wrote on social media in April.
“Asking an English aristocrat whether he agrees with our constitutional arrangements is colonial and shameful nonsense.”
Bills setting the Governor General’s salary passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday with bipartisan support.
The Greens, however, spoke out against the size of the wage, saying it was out of place during a cost of living crisis.
Green Party MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown said workers in other professions would not get a 43 per cent pay rise.
“Until all women get a 43 per cent pay rise, the incoming Governor General should not do so,” she told Parliament on Tuesday.
“Who else is getting a 43 per cent pay rise right now? It’s an absolute insult to people struggling to make ends meet.”
The salary of the Governor General is set out in the Constitution and is determined by the estimated average salary of the Chief Justice.
The salary level of the head of state also does not increase due to factors such as inflation during the duration of his term.
Associate Public Service Minister Patrick Gorman said the governor-general’s salary should not be controversial, given long-standing conventions on how it is set.
“I’m sure people would have been surprised if another proposal had been put forward,” he told parliament.
‘Sam Mostyn is an inspired choice and has been widely welcomed by the Australian community.’
The four Green MPs, along with fellow independents Andrew Wilkie, Bob Katter and Rebekha Sharkie, voted against the pay rise.
Debate on the laws will now move to the Senate, with the bill set to be passed before Ms Mostyn takes office.