Louise Sylvan, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian National Preventive Health Agency. Source: News Corp Australia
A LABOR-appointed bureaucrat is being paid $28,000 a month to head an agency that no longer exists.
In what may well be the world’s best job, Louise Sylvan is earning more than $300,000 a year to be CEO of the Australian National Preventative Health Agency, which was closed down in June.
Documents sighted by The Daily Telegraph show the long-time bureaucrat has no official daily duties, but continues to collect a salary because her contract — which doesn’t end until September 2016 — can only be terminated by a change in legislation.
Ms Sylvan was offered a redundancy package of more than $200,000 when the agency shut but did not accept it.
Ms Sylvan is not breaching any laws by refusing to accept the package. ANPHA employed more than 40 staff and had a budget of $5 million after it was formed following then prime minister Kevin Rudd’s 20/20 summit.
Louise Sylvan, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian National Preventive Health Agency. Source: News Corp Australia
The agency had sweeping powers to provide grants and sponsor events it deemed could assist the fight against obesity and drinking.
Yet it wasted $200,000 of taxpayer money on a cookbook which taught people how to cook spaghetti bolognese.
It also provided $130,000 in funding for the Summer Nationals street burnout competition in 2012 and 2013.
The Abbott government cut the agency this year and absorbed some of its powers into other departments.
A spokesman for Health Minister Peter Dutton refused to comment on Ms Sylvan’s severance package, although he did confirm that the agency no longer existed.
It is understood Ms Sylvan has an office in a Department of Health building in Sydney, despite having no duties.
Her total salary is $332,800 per annum and her base salary is $242,950.
Ms Sylvan signed a five-year deal as CEO in September 2011 when Nicola Roxon was Health Minister.
The experienced administrator has had a lengthy career, including deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Ms Sylvan could not be reached for comment.
Originally published as She’s paid $300K a year … to do nothing