No minister has deviated from the songbook, the established line being that the pay rise was handed down by an independent tribunal – which was supported by all political parties – and intervening in its decision would interfere with the panel's independence.

“Last year we had a lot of grief about a pay rise that was delivered following on from a federal pay rise,” Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said.

“There has to be some kind of process. The Premier put in place the process, and as I say, people are never going to be happy about politicians getting pay rises.

“If you are going to have a process, you have to follow it and then you have to move on.”

Energy Minister Mark McArdle agreed.

“The parliament passed the law, both Labor and the LNP and the crossbenches passed the law to appoint the independent tribunal, that tribunal has made a call and we accept the tribunal's determination," he said.

“If you then run an argument that we should not accept it, we then take back control of the payroll determination. We made it very clear that an independent body would be set up and that would be a binding determination.”

Transport Minister Scott Emerson said “politicians shouldn't have a say in their own pay rises”, which was why the tribunal worked.

“I'll accept the umpire's decision,” he said.

David Crisafulli continued the melody, which was then picked up by National Parks Minister Steve Dickson.

“We've gone through a process where there has been an independent tribunal make a decision, as supported by Labor, and that is a process that is well abstract of politicians, as it should be,” Mr Dickson said.

On Friday night, the Labor caucus voted against supporting the pay rise, which was handed down by the Independent Remuneration Tribunal established after last year's aborted increase.

The rise will see Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk receive about $80,000 more, while Premier Campbell Newman's salary will be increased by almost $70,000.

Every office bearer, including parliamentary committee members, received a raise above the $148, 848 base salary. The increase will be backdated to July last year.

Ms Palaszczuk said Labor was investigating ways the additional money “supports their communities and helps fight the LNP's cuts”.

Labor called on the government to “fix” the issue through legislation and send the tribunal back to the drawing board.

Queensland Council of Unions president John Battams said the pay rise was “hypocritical”.

“This so-called independent tribunal should operate under the same rules as the industrial relations commission, which applies to the rest of us,” Mr Battams said.

“That patently didn't occur.”