Judicial staff pay rise beats civil servants'
Judges and judicial officers will get a bigger pay rise this year than other civil servants. An increase of just under 7 per cent was endorsed for them yesterday, compared to rises of 4.71 to just under 6 per cent for the rest.
Judges and judicial officers will get a bigger pay rise this year than other civil servants.
An increase of just under 7 per cent was endorsed for them yesterday, compared to rises of 4.71 to just under 6 per cent for the rest.
The 6.77 per cent rise for judicial staff was recommended by the Standing Committee on Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service, an independent advisory body appointed by the chief executive.
It was accepted yesterday by the Chief Executive in Council, to take effect retrospectively from April.
Judicial officers are paid according to their own judicial service pay scale, which is reviewed every year.
According to the advisory body's recommendation report, there were a total of 154 judges and judicial officers in March, down by 10 from the same month last year.
Fifteen positions have yet to be filled in the High Court, while there are 26 vacancies in magistrates' courts and specialised tribunals.
Retirement remains the main reason positions are vacated.
In the three years from 2014-15, six, 10 and seven people, respectively, are expected to retire.
After the pay rise, the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal will have a monthly salary of about HK$293,190.
Magistrates' pay will start at HK$111,009.
A leading barrister noted that even after the increase, top lawyers could earn more in private practice than as judges.
But barristers were willing to give up higher incomes to become judges, Civic Party lawmaker and barrister Ronny Tong Ka-wah said.
"Being a judge is a stable and prestigious career," he said.
"The pressure is also much lower [compared to that on barristers]."
Although a number of veteran judges had retired, younger barristers have joined the judiciary over the past year, he added.
