Victoria

MP expenses generous - but completely hidden from view

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Daniel Andrews gets a touch under $300,000, and the lowliest backbencher gets $148,000.

On top of that, all 128 of our state's members of parliament are entitled to expenses of between  $11,857 and $62,248 a year.

But they don't want you to know how generous their expenses are: you won't find it on a government website and you can't request it under freedom of information – parliament is exempt.

So what do state MPs get paid?

All MPs get a basic salary of $148,210. Senior office holders also get what the parliament calls an "additional salary", worth up to 100 per cent of the basic salary. They get a car. If they don't want a car, they get between $16,500 and $25,000 extra.

They also get a so-called expense allowance, to cover non-specific costs.

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Here are some of the pay rates:

But wait there's more. In addition to salary and expense allowances, MPs are entitled to a range of different perks. Here are some of the main ones.

Electorate Allowance:

Small electorate: $38,148 

Medium-sized electorate: $41,420

Big and very big electorates: $45,698

Additional commercial transport allowance for larger electorates:

Big electorate: $5643

Very big electorate: $11,554

Second residence allowance (for MPs living 80km+ from Melbourne):

Premier: $50,241

Deputy Premier: $43,960

Minister/senior office holders: $37,678

Other MPs: $25,120

Overnight stay in Melbourne allowance:

MPs with a "home base" outside Melbourne can claim reimbursement for accommodation expenses when on parliamentary business in the city, worth up to $276 per night.