Politicians Still Being Paid Despite Not Knowing If They've Been Re-Elected

    Upper house results aren't expected to be finalised until August.

    Alice Workman
    by Alice Workman

    Political Reporter, Canberra

    Senators are still being paid their parliamentary salary and electorate allowance even though they haven't been officially re-elected yet.

    Stefan Postles / Getty Images

    The Australian Electoral Commission is still counting votes for the upper house and says the final senate result won't be known until next month.

    The 45th Parliament is due to start sitting on 30th August.

    An email from parliament human resources sent to all senators on 21 July confirmed the unelected senators will "continue to receive [their] base salary and electorate allowance ... paid on 29 July 2016 as per usual practice".

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    That means senators who might not be re-elected will continue to be paid.

    If they aren't re-elected to the senate when the final results have been tallied, they'll be required to pay the money back.

    "If, following the declaration of the polls, you have not been returned as a senator, it will be necessary to recover this payment as a debt to the Commonwealth and as required by the Public Governance, Accountability and Performance Act 2013."

    Senators were also given the option to opt out of the payment - as Tasmanian Liberal senator Richard Colbeck announced to his colleagues he would, when he accidentally hit reply all.

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    Senators were told they could opt not to receive their monthly salary and entitlements "[so as to avoid the potential for debt recovery] and for payment of these allowances to be determined once the polls have been declared".

    This option is given for Senators who don't rate their chances on being reelected.

    One such Senator is Tasmanian Liberal Richard Colbeck, who rather than just replying to HR, included all Senators in his reply confirming he would like to put payment of his salary on hold until the final results had been announced, to avoid having to pay the money back.

    Colbeck is unlikely to be re-elected after he was relegated to the vulnerable fifth spot on the Tasmanian senate ticket, and was dumped as minister for Tourism and International Education after the election.