Victoria's politicians are getting a pay boost of 2.92 per cent in a couple of weeks, taking a backbencher's salary to more than $176,000.
As the state tries to restrict public sector pay increases to limit pressure on the budget, all of Victoria's MPs will get a bump in wages from July 1.
It means Premier Daniel Andrews will take home $394,000 next financial year and backbenchers will get more than $176,000 which includes extra cash for expenses.
"I'm very grateful for the fact that I'm well paid and members of parliament are well paid and that's why we need to work hard," Mr Andrews told reporters on Tuesday.
It's the last time MP pay will automatically increase in line with wage inflation as calculated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, since the government has overhauled the system to an independent remuneration tribunal.
But some MPs, including Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings, who was in charge of pushing through the pay reforms, say they were unaware of next month's boost.
"In relation to what's already locked in in existing arrangements, to be perfectly honest I haven't actually concentrated on that matter at all," Mr Jennings told reporters at parliament.
"In the future MPs won't be determining when they get their pay rise or the circumstances of their pay rise. The tribunal will do that and I think that's an important reform."
Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien, who will take home more than $300,000 a year, said he was also unaware of the situation until the media reports.
"I didn't even know it until I read it in the paper," he said.
"Labor's now brought in a new system where it'll be set by an independent tribunal and we'll see how that goes, if it leads to big pay rises I suppose Daniel Andrews will need to explain why he changed the system."
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