Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his discretionary power to allocate higher-paid advisers to MPs, saying the system was not put in place by him but by the former government. The defence comes as one of his own former senior advisers, now a lead investigator of a government-ordered review, says the power must be examined.
On Monday, Albanese responded to accusations that he was acting out of political interest. The defence came less than a fortnight after comments by Mathew Jose, a former senior adviser to Albanese and prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, who is one of the lead investigators of a review that began work in April and will report by late 2027.
Under federal legislation, each MP's office may hire five "electorate officers", but the prime minister has discretion over how many higher-paid "advisers" each MP may hire. Jose said parliamentarians needed sufficient staffing to carry out their democratic business and hold the government to account.
Independent senator Fatima Payman has said she was offered staff by Albanese to support a Labor-backed vote in the Senate, echoing earlier claims the government offered the Coalition staff to support changes to freedom of information laws. One Nation MP David Farley rejected an unsolicited staffing offer from Albanese, citing concerns the prime minister was seeking to sway the new politician. Immediately after Labor won government in 2022, Albanese cut staffing levels to the expanded crossbench before backtracking, and cut the Coalition's staffing after the 2025 election.
Associate Professor William Partlett of the Melbourne Law School said he believed the National Anti-Corruption Commission could investigate the issue if it felt it had passed the "serious and systemic" test necessary for matters to fall under its jurisdiction. Acting NACC commissioner Kylie Kilgour recently told a Senate inquiry that her interest was "piqued" by the federal government's oversight of a controversial $560.9 million invite-only grant program.
Liberal senator James McGrath described Albanese's provision of staffing as both a "manipulation" and a "disgrace". He said the whole saga was "a blatant attempt to weaken parliamentary scrutiny and shield Labor from accountability" and that he would welcome recommendations from the independent review that strengthened checks and balances on the prime minister's power.
Podcast host Hannah Ferguson, who will run against Albanese as an independent in his electorate of Grayndler at the next election, said the prime minister's explanation was "exhausting and infuriating". She said the decision should be made independently, adding: "It is so exhausting and infuriating to hear this sentiment of 'I've inherited the rules' from the person who is in the perfect position to change those rules."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The prime minister's discretionary power to allocate advisers raises questions about whether it is used to influence opposition and crossbench MPs, potentially undermining parliamentary independence.
- A government-ordered review is underway, and its findings could lead to changes in how parliamentary resources are distributed.
- The issue highlights tensions between executive control and parliamentary accountability, with potential implications for the National Anti-Corruption Commission's jurisdiction.
Background
The prime minister has discretion to allocate "adviser" level staff beyond the standard five electorate officers per MP. This power has been repeatedly used and modified since Labor took office in 2022, including cuts and restorations of staffing for crossbench and Coalition MPs. The review, led by former Labor, Coalition and Greens staffers, began in April and will report by late 2027.
Key Perspectives
Anthony Albanese: Defended the system as inherited from the former government, and said it was not put in place by him.
Mathew Jose (lead investigator): Said questions about what decisions should be made by the executive and what by the parliament with respect to resourcing were matters that must be contended.
Liberal senator James McGrath: Called the staffing provision a "manipulation" and a "disgrace", and accused Albanese of being "allergic to transparency" and attempting to weaken parliamentary scrutiny.
Hannah Ferguson (independent candidate): Said Albanese's explanation was "exhausting and infuriating" and that he was in a position to change the rules but was instead playing politics.
Associate Professor William Partlett: Said the NACC could investigate if it found a serious and systemic breach of public trust in the use of the power.
What to Watch
- The progress and eventual recommendations of the independent review due by late 2027.
- Whether the National Anti-Corruption Commission decides to investigate the matter.
- Any further allegations or revelations from crossbench MPs about staffing offers or pressure.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedFormer adviser Mathew Jose says Albanese’s staffing power needs examination.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “one of his own former advisers says the discretionary power must be examined in an ongoing investigation.”
- SupportedJose says questions about executive and parliamentary decisions on resourcing are matters to be addressed.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““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.””
- SupportedAlbanese defended his discretion to allocate higher-paid advisers to MPs and said the system was put in place by the former government, not him.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Albanese has defended the way he allocates staff to his opponents amid accusations he is acting out of political interest”
- SupportedAlbanese is a former senior adviser to Albanese and prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, and is a lead investigator in a government-ordered review.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The comments were made by Mathew Jose, a former senior adviser to Albanese and prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. Jose is one of the lead investigators of a government-ordered review”
- SupportedThe review began work in April and will report by late 2027.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “a government-ordered review that began work in April and will report by late 2027.”
- SupportedFederal legislation allows each MP’s office five electorate officers, while Albanese has discretion over how many higher-paid advisers each MP may hire.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Under federal legislation each office may hire five “electorate officers”, but Albanese has discretion over how many higher-paid “advisers” each MP may hire.”
- SupportedPayman said Albanese offered her staff to support a Labor-backed Senate vote, echoing earlier claims of an offer of Coalition staff to support FOI-law changes.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “independent senator Fatima Payman said she was offered staff by Albanese to support a Labor-backed vote in the Senate, echoing earlier claims the government offered the Coalition staff to support changes to freedom of information laws.”
- SupportedAlbanese made an unsolicited staffing offer to David Farley, who rejected it over concern Albanese was seeking to sway him.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Albanese also made an unsolicited staffing offer to One Nation MP David Farley, which was rejected over concerns the prime minister was seeking to sway the new politician.”
- SupportedAlbanese cut staffing for the expanded crossbench after Labor won government in 2022, then backtracked, and cut Coalition staffing after the 2025 election.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Immediately after Labor won government in 2022, Albanese cut staffing levels to the expanded crossbench, saying the bloc had swelled to a historic size, and then backtracked. Albanese cut the Coalition’s staffing following the 2025 election”
- SupportedPartlett said he believed the NACC could investigate if it considered the issue to have passed the serious-and-systemic threshold.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Associate Professor William Partlett of the Melbourne Law School said he believed the National Anti-Corruption Commission could investigate the issue if they felt it had passed the “serious and systemic” test”
- SupportedKilgour told a Senate inquiry that her interest was piqued by oversight of a $560.9 million invite-only grant program.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Acting NACC commissioner Kylie Kilgour told a Senate inquiry last month that her interest was “piqued” by the federal government’s oversight of a controversial $560.9 million invite-only grant program”
- SupportedFerguson said it was exhausting and infuriating to hear Albanese say he had inherited the rules despite being able to change them.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““It is so exhausting and infuriating to hear this sentiment of ‘I’ve inherited the rules’ from the person who is in the perfect position to change those rules,” Ferguson said.”