Politics · Australia · 12 hrs ago
Review to examine Albanese’s power to allocate staff to MPs
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his power to allocate staff to opposition and crossbench MPs.
Federal law lets each MP hire five electorate officers, but the prime minister decides how many higher-paid advisers they can employ.
Albanese says the system was set up by the former government, but critics have questioned whether staff offers were linked to political support.
A government-ordered review is examining parliamentary resources, including who should decide how they are allocated.
Former adviser Mathew Jose, a lead investigator, says MPs need enough staff to represent voters and hold the government to account.
Senator Fatima Payman says she was offered staff in exchange for backing a Labor-supported Senate vote; Albanese’s office staffing decisions have also drawn scrutiny.
The review is due to report by late 2027, and a legal expert says the anti-corruption commission could investigate if it considers the matter serious and systemic.
A government-ordered review is examining the rules governing the prime minister’s power to allocate adviser staff to MPs.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his use of the power after accusations that staffing decisions were politically motivated.
Mathew Jose, a lead investigator and former senior adviser to Albanese, said the division of responsibility for parliamentary resources needed to be considered.
Albanese has made different staffing decisions for opposition and crossbench MPs, including offers that some politicians rejected or described as tied to political support.
The review began work in April and is due to report by late 2027.
- Who
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and a government-ordered review led by investigators including former adviser Mathew Jose.
- What
- The review is examining parliamentary staffing resources, including the prime minister’s discretion over MPs’ adviser allocations.
- When
- The review began in April and is due to report by late 2027. Albanese defended his decisions on Monday.
- Where
- Australia’s federal parliament.
- Why
- The review is considering who should decide how parliamentary resources are allocated.
Anthony Albanese
Review investigators
Staffing powers
Anthony Albanese
Albanese said the system was put in place by the former government.
Review investigators
Jose said the division of decisions between the executive and parliament over resourcing is a matter the review must consider.
After Labor won government, Albanese cut staffing levels to the expanded crossbench and then backtracked.
The government-ordered review began work.
Albanese cut Coalition staffing after the party lost seats.
Albanese defended the way he allocates staff to his opponents.
The review is due to report.
- Review began
- April
- Review report due
- Late 2027
- Electorate officers
- Federal legislation allows each office to hire five
- Albanese’s discretion
- Number of higher-paid advisers each MP may hire
What people are saying
This wasn’t a system that was put in place by me. It was put in place by the former government
questions about what decisions should be made by the executive and what decisions should be made by the parliament with respect to resourcing is a matter with which we must contend