Mayor, Councillors hand themselves pay rise of 7.2% 

Michael Sainsbury

Hawkesbury City Council has unanimously voted themselves a pay rise that will see Mayor Sarah McMahon’s pay rise to $64,390 for her part-time position. Some $9,658.50 of the mayor’s salary is given to Deputy-Mayor Barry Calvert as an extra payment.

The pay rise comes as a $1.8 million refurbishment of council chambers is underway. Councillor Eddie Dogramaci has been a trenchant critic of the project.

“We have homeless people and children that needs food in the Hawkesbury and we are spending money on better offices for elected officials,” Cr Dogramaci told the Hawkesbury Post.

Each year councillors vote on remuneration decided by the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal. Other councillors will see their pay rise from $24, 320 to $26,070.

The rise, voted at the June 23 meeting, was the first that councillors have taken since 2020 as they have previously voted – although not unanimously – to freeze their pay in recent years. The last vote in 2022 saw the casting vote of then Liberal Mayor Patrick Connolly, seal no pay rise in the lead up to this year’s state election.

This time it was unanimous. although Cr. Dogramaci and Amanda Kotlash did not attend the meeting.