Paul Hutchison MP
National Party Tertiary Education Spokesman

4 November 2007

TEC doubles number of staff on over $100,000

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is yet another government agency rewarding its staff with rocketing salaries, says National’s Tertiary Education spokesman, Paul Hutchison.

In reply to written questions it was established that between 2003/4 and 2006/7 the number of staff paid over $100,000 rose from 20 to 50.

“In 2003, the highest pay was $181,000 but by 2006, with the appointment of CEO Janice Shiner, the highest salary rose to $404,638.

“Labour has presided over massive wastage in tertiary education that amounts to around $1 billion in the past eight years. In only four years the number of staff receiving more than $100,000 has gone up 150%.

“It worries me greatly that a CEO who was brought in to sort out the mess in tertiary education is paid more than $400,000 and is leaving next year whether the reforms work or not.

“Labour is leaving a legacy of poor planning and wastage in tertiary education and must justify the money being spent on TEC salaries while the sector is in disarray.”

Ends

© Scoop Media