Tony Abbott, with a rather whimsical smile, has drawn attention to the problems of adjustment faced by former Government Ministers without independent means who find themselves as ordinary Members of Parliament. A salary drop of $1833 a week takes some getting used to.

Perhaps Mr Abbott should spare a thought for his former colleague Mark Vaile who has gone from the exalted position of Deputy Prime Minister on $260,480 a year to a humble backbencher earning $127,060. Family budgets surely suffer with $2566 less in the weekly kitty.

At least the Dr Brendan Nelson has no reason to complain. He alone among members of the former Howard Ministry has actually had a pay increase of $306 a week. As a Cabinet Minister he was on $219,180 a year. That has risen to $235,070 as Leader of the Opposition.

Old Annual Salary

New Annual Salary

Weekly Difference

Dr Brendan John Nelson MP

219180

235070

+$306

Julie Isabel Bishop MP

219180

200120

-$366

Anthony David Hawthorn Smith MP

158830

127060

-$611

Christopher John Pearce MP

158830

127060

-$611

Senator Richard Mansell Colbeck

158830

127060

-$611

Robert Charles Baldwin MP

158830

127060

-$611

Gregory Andrew Hunt MP

158830

127060

-$611

Sussan Penelope Ley MP

158830

127060

-$611

Patrick Francis Farmer MP

158830

127060

-$611

Peter John Lindsay MP

158830

127060

-$611

Senator Brett John Mason

158830

127060

-$611

Warren Errol Truss MP

219180

184240

-$672

Senator Nicholas Hugh Minchin

238240

200120

-$733

Senator Eric Abetz

212830

152480

-$1161

Frances Esther Bailey MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Peter Craig Dutton MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Dr Sharman Nancy Stone MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Bruce Frederick Billson MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Christopher Maurice Pyne MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Andrew John Robb MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Senator George Henry Brandis SC

200120

127060

-$1405

Senator Nigel Gregory Scullion

200120

127060

-$1405

Senator David Albert Johnston

200120

127060

-$1405

John Kenneth Cobb MP

200120

127060

-$1405

Alexander John Gosse Downer MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Philip Maxwell Ruddock MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Peter John McGauran MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Kevin James Andrews MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Ian Elgin Macfarlane MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Joseph Benedict Hockey MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Senator Helen Lloyd Coonan

219180

127060

-$1772

Malcolm Bligh Turnbull MP

219180

127060

-$1772

Christopher Martin Ellison

219180

127060

-$1772

Anthony John Abbott MP

222360

127060

-$1833

Peter Howard Costello MP

238240

127060

-$2138

Mark Anthony James Vaile MP

260480

127060

-$2566