WA Opposition questions payouts to ex-political staff after Daniel Pastorelli, Ronald Sao get six-figure sums

The State Opposition says its been left astonished by lucrative six-figure payouts for political staffers-turned-MPs, with some raising questions over changes to the system. The comments come after it was revealed three MPs received hefty payouts from their ministerial staffing roles, including Premier Roger Cook’s ex-chief-of-staff Daniel Pastorelli, who received a $345,000 exit payment. New Cannington MP Ronald Sao — who was a long-serving adviser in Dumas House — received a $112,000 payout, and acknowledged on Thursday “it was a lot of money”. “It’s just part of my entitlements. It’s part of the contract that I signed, and it’s part of it’s under the under the Act. So it is what it is,” he said. “I’m just abiding by the laws that are at the time for me, and so I’ve just accepted what my contract is. “It’s a number of years of service that have accumulated to that amount.” Mr Pastorelli declined to comment on Wednesday evening, while the third MP, new Upper House member Klasey Hirst, who received $52,000, said she couldn’t stop to talk outside Parliament on Thursday. The trio were among 34 term-of-government staffers who left their roles after the election, pocketing more than $3 million, including nine members of the Opposition’s team. Under the pay agreement for staffers, those leaving as a result of a reshuffle or the end of a term are entitled to four weeks salary plus two weeks salary for each year of continuous service, and any accrued leave entitlements. Shadow treasurer Sandra Brewer said she was astonished by the payouts, indicating support for a policy change which ends the payouts for staffers who become MPs. “As someone who left behind a professional career to stand aside and put it all on the line to hopefully be elected for parliament, it’s definitely a surprise to me that public servants get these generous payouts,” she said. “I don’t think people who come from the public sector have that advantage. “I would be interested in seeing whether a policy change is required.” Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said the payments were within the rules, it was up to the Premier to answer whether it passed “the pub test” with voters. “Everything that we do is always reviewed and under review. It might be something that comes up,” he said. “Notwithstanding, I accept that what has happened here has been within the rules and has been a part of the process that has existed for a long time. “Perhaps it is right to have another look at it again, and maybe in this term of Parliament that will happen.” Mr Cook backed in the payouts, saying they stemmed from the conditions ministerial staff were employed under. “Everyone is entitled to the wages and conditions and the payouts associated with that, that goes for Government workers as it goes for Opposition workers,’ he said “This is simply a matter of Mr Pastorelli receiving a payout, which would include leave entitlements, residual superannuation entitlements, and is an appropriate part of the process.”