About 15,000 public servants are locked in a pay dispute with the government, with unions wanting an initial 2.5 per cent increase for its members, with the rise to grow to 2.75 per cent in 2017 and 3 per cent in 2018.

Negotiations are set to be lengthy, with Premier Will Hodgman firm that the state can’t afford a public sector wage increase of more than 2 per cent.

Mr Lynch said that argument would sound hollow to his members, after a Liberal Party determination that MPs would write to the Clerk of the House and accept a pay rise in line with the wage price index, set at 2.4 per cent in 2016.

“The Premier is still taking a 2.4 per cent increase, why would he be taking that and then trying to lock the public service in at a 2 per cent increase?,” Mr Lynch said.

Mr Hodgman’s salary decision was made after the Legislative Council voted down a government motion to disallow a 10.5 per cent pay increase recommended by the TIC.

He said it would stand until the Tasmanian Industrial Commission next considered parliamentary salaries in March 2018. 

The Greens will ask for their salaries to be tied to the 2 per cent public sector pay rise, but plan to donate the excess pay to charity.

Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor said the three MPs would take advice from an accountant to ensure they received nothing greater than a 2 per cent pay rise.

She confirmed those arrangements had only been put in place for existing members, until the next state election in 2018.

Labor have yet to state what action they will take, but Opposition Leader Bryan Green has been firm that parliamentary salaries should be tied to the public sector. 

One of the two Independent MLCs who supported the pay rise disallowance motion, Rob Valentine, said he would ensure his salary was no greater than a government backbencher.