STATE Upper House member for Western Victoria Stuart Grimley is calling for direction from the public on which local organisations or community groups should be the latest beneficiary of his self-coined \u201cPollie Pay Rise\u201d.<\/p>\n
In September 2019 when Victoria\u2019s Independent Remuneration Tribunal gave all Victorian MPs a 3.5 per cent increase in pay, Mr Grimley promised to give his extra $500 or so per month to the community.<\/p>\n
Since then he\u2019s donated to places like Geelong Mums and the Wimmera Against Family Violence Committee.<\/p>\n
In July this year State MPs received another 2.5 per cent annual boost to their bank accounts and once again Mr Grimley is looking for places to donate his pay bump.<\/p>\n
\u201cPoliticians in Victoria are paid quite well, and at a time when the community is struggling in the grips of a pandemic, we should not be accepting a pay rise,\u201d Mr Grimley said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is why I have decided to give mine back to the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are all affected by COVID-19, particularly our smaller communities who have been cut off from larger towns and cities. If my donation can make even the smallest difference, then it is worth it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m encouraging everyone who knows of a western Victorian organisation in need to please send me an email. Many people don\u2019t like asking for assistance, so it is up to our community to make sure their voices are heard.\u201d<\/p>\n