27 May 2019

Proposed Cooks' MP salary boost unpopular

10:39 am on 27 May 2019

A poll in the Cook Islands shows a proposed salary increase for Members of Parliament is unpopular.

Cook Islands Parliament.

Cook Islands Parliament. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Last month, deputy prime minister Mark Brown mooted a boost of 45-percent.

But the poll conducted by Cook Islands News found three-quarters of respondents rejected the proposal, saying they would not vote for MPs who award themselves an increase.

Fifteen-percent responded "don't know" while just seven-percent supported the pay rise.

A hundred people were surveyed in the poll.

The Cooks' Parliament is currently conducting its first review of MP remuneration in 14 years.

According to the Civil List Act 2005, the prime minister gets an annual salary of $NZ105,000 while the deputy prime minister receives $NZ95,000.

Cabinet ministers, the Speaker and the opposition leader receive $NZ85,000 each.

Other MPs are paid a base rate of $NZ50,000 plus allowances between $NZ5,000 and $NZ10,000.

Attitudes to seabed exploration plans, road safety and the potable water project were also surveyed.

Proposed seabed mining was supported by 21-percent while 56-percent were against it.

The remaining 23-percent responded "don't know".