Former NSW premier Morris Iemma employed two former Nine Network newsmen as spin doctors on annual salaries totalling more than $500,000 combined, an inquiry has been told.
Mr Iemma announced in July that former news director John Choueifate and Nine's then state political reporter Adam Walters were joining his office.
They were employed to "develop and coordinate policy and communications," but their salaries were not disclosed at the time.
During today's budget estimates committee hearing focused on the premier's office, it was revealed Mr Choueifate was on $290,000 a year and Mr Walter's $220,000.
Both salaries far exceeded the $126,560 paid to backbench MPs, while Mr Choueifate earned more than most ministers and almost as much as the $320,000 received by the premier.
However, both were sacked less than a month after they began work, when Mr Iemma was replaced by Nathan Rees.
Department of Premier and Cabinet director general Robyn Kruk told the inquiry the men received redundancy payouts of $30,000 and $20,000.
Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said the amount spent on media staff was "obscene".
"Go out there and tell nurses, doctors, firies and others who struggle to make that amount combined each year (that) this is a government committed to fiscal rectitude," he said.
"It's obscene - $30,000 and $20,000 paid out to two people who came in to make the government look good, who worked for less than 40 days."
