EDUCATION AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES DEPARTMENT

In reply to Mr PISONI (Unley) (10 November 2010).

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Education, Minister for Early Childhood Development, Minister for Science and Information Economy): I would like to clarify for the Member for Unley that the number of (non-executive) employees remunerated between $150,000 and $400,000, as reported in the Auditor-General's report, increased from 57 in 2008-09 to 99 in 2009-10. The number of executives within these remuneration bands increased from 23 executives in 2008-09 to 26 executives in 2009-10. These employees comprise school based, regional and central office personnel.

The remuneration includes salary, employer's superannuation costs, use of motor vehicle in accordance with prescribed conditions and associated fringe benefits tax.

The major cause of the increase in numbers was a rise in salary rates during 2009-10 by 4.0 per cent for Education Act employees, 2.5 per cent plus a $600 flat one-off payment for Public Sector Act employees, and 2.5 per cent for executives due to enterprise bargaining agreements.

In addition, employees who received an amount under the TVSP scheme and/or retired and received in excess of $150,000 due to the payment of leave entitlements also contributed to the increase.