Mr BONSON - 2001-11-28
Madam Speaker, we have recently received the Remuneration Tribunal determination relating to entitlements for members of the Legislative Assembly. What is your government’s view about entitlements for members?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, my government’s view in relation to entitlements for members, generally, is that we must all share - all in this parliament - in the difficult financial circumstances we currently are in, in the Territory. We recognise those difficult financial circumstances in the mini-budget. It is important when we are dealing with the circumstances of the Territory, that parliamentarians are taking cognisance of that fact and are responding appropriately. That is why we needed a Temporary Budget Improvement Levy. It should really be called the CLP tax. A contributory liability payment is probably a better term for it, but we have called it a budget improvement levy and it is a temporary one.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: No, it is the Burke and Reed tax, actually, if we are going to be serious about it. It is a levy and it applies on domestic motor vehicles, but also on all of us in here. So, you will all pay the $90; we will all pay this $90.
In relation to members’ entitlements, we have previously indicated very strongly that we do not think it is acceptable for members to be able to purchase their office equipment, as we saw happen so disgracefully. It is costing taxpayers an incredible amount of money …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is reflecting on a committee of this parliament.
Madam SPEAKER: No, she isn’t. There is no point of order.
Mr Dunham: She is! Yes, she is.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, would you think before you jump to your feet again.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, we do not think it is acceptable that members should be able to purchase the entire contents - down to the last roll of toilet paper - of their offices when they leave. That is a disgrace and it should stop. We do not believe it is acceptable for members to purchase their vehicles.
In the current budgetary circumstances this government goes even further. We do not believe there should be any increases to the salaries of office holders. We do not believe there should be an increase in electorate allowances. We would also like to see changes to travel allowance provisions and tighter limits on overseas travel entitlements.
I have received the tribunal determination and I intend to table it this afternoon. We will debate it tomorrow. I can indicate to this House now that this government does not support the tribunal’s determinations and we will not be supporting them. We will not support it and we will be voting against it. We, as a new government of just three months, reject the pay increases recommended by the determination. We absolutely reject those pay increases. It will be tabled this afternoon and it will be debated in this House.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You are best able to provide clarification and rule on this. I would have understood, given the conventions of this House, that the report of an independent Remuneration Tribunal should be privy to the chairman of that tribunal until it hits the floor of this House. I understand that the Chief Minister is indicating that she and her colleagues - gauging by the ‘hear, hear’ - have already discussed that tribunal report in their own caucus. That, to my mind, is a contravention of all of the conventions of this House.
Madam SPEAKER: My advice to the Chief Minister’s office was that she could speak to the RTD in general terms, not specifics nor quote from it. The report, as yet, has not been tabled to the House. I have not seen it and other members have not, so I keep ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: That was the advice ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Government members, you should be aware that you should not have seen the report either until it is tabled, that is convention. Bearing in mind what you said, Leader of the Opposition, and bearing in mind the advice I passed on to the Chief Minister’s office, I would suggest the Chief Minister keeps her remarks very general and not specific to anything in the report, until we have all had a chance to see it.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, just to continue, I believe my remarks were very general but they were to a very strong principle that while we are having ...
Mr Burke: What about the ‘hear, hear’ from the rest?
Ms MARTIN: Because it is supported on this side of the House.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Because in principle - look at the greedy little grubs on the other side of the House. What I am saying is we have tough circumstances and I will not accept - this government will not accept - increases in office holders’ salaries ...
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Perhaps you might seek clarification from the Clerk, but it seems to me that there has been a major contravention of the proceedings of this House. We have the government, by the ‘hear, hear’ of the members, clearly indicating to this House that they have discussed in detail a report from an independent tribunal. There is no authority by virtue of being government ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition, if you would ...
Mr BURKE: If I may finish, Madam Speaker ...
Madam SPEAKER: Well ...
Mr BURKE: I am entitled to speak in this House.
Madam SPEAKER: I am going to take advice from the Clerk, so resume your seat until I take advice from the Clerk. I believe my remarks may have covered it all.
I am advised that my remarks were correct. In fact, because the report has not been tabled in the House, the Chief Minister’s remarks should be of a general nature only and not be specific to anything in the report. The Chief Minister is a member of the Executive Council and, as you know, the report does go to the Administrator who issues that notice to get the report done. So, the Chief Minister would have had knowledge of what was in the report. But I reiterate to the Chief Minister: because the report has not been tabled you cannot be specific in anything you say - not anything that was within that report.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, my government’s view in relation to entitlements for members, generally, is that we must all share - all in this parliament - in the difficult financial circumstances we currently are in, in the Territory. We recognise those difficult financial circumstances in the mini-budget. It is important when we are dealing with the circumstances of the Territory, that parliamentarians are taking cognisance of that fact and are responding appropriately. That is why we needed a Temporary Budget Improvement Levy. It should really be called the CLP tax. A contributory liability payment is probably a better term for it, but we have called it a budget improvement levy and it is a temporary one.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: No, it is the Burke and Reed tax, actually, if we are going to be serious about it. It is a levy and it applies on domestic motor vehicles, but also on all of us in here. So, you will all pay the $90; we will all pay this $90.
In relation to members’ entitlements, we have previously indicated very strongly that we do not think it is acceptable for members to be able to purchase their office equipment, as we saw happen so disgracefully. It is costing taxpayers an incredible amount of money …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Chief Minister is reflecting on a committee of this parliament.
Madam SPEAKER: No, she isn’t. There is no point of order.
Mr Dunham: She is! Yes, she is.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Drysdale, would you think before you jump to your feet again.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, we do not think it is acceptable that members should be able to purchase the entire contents - down to the last roll of toilet paper - of their offices when they leave. That is a disgrace and it should stop. We do not believe it is acceptable for members to purchase their vehicles.
In the current budgetary circumstances this government goes even further. We do not believe there should be any increases to the salaries of office holders. We do not believe there should be an increase in electorate allowances. We would also like to see changes to travel allowance provisions and tighter limits on overseas travel entitlements.
I have received the tribunal determination and I intend to table it this afternoon. We will debate it tomorrow. I can indicate to this House now that this government does not support the tribunal’s determinations and we will not be supporting them. We will not support it and we will be voting against it. We, as a new government of just three months, reject the pay increases recommended by the determination. We absolutely reject those pay increases. It will be tabled this afternoon and it will be debated in this House.
Members: Hear, hear!
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! You are best able to provide clarification and rule on this. I would have understood, given the conventions of this House, that the report of an independent Remuneration Tribunal should be privy to the chairman of that tribunal until it hits the floor of this House. I understand that the Chief Minister is indicating that she and her colleagues - gauging by the ‘hear, hear’ - have already discussed that tribunal report in their own caucus. That, to my mind, is a contravention of all of the conventions of this House.
Madam SPEAKER: My advice to the Chief Minister’s office was that she could speak to the RTD in general terms, not specifics nor quote from it. The report, as yet, has not been tabled to the House. I have not seen it and other members have not, so I keep ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: That was the advice ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Government members, you should be aware that you should not have seen the report either until it is tabled, that is convention. Bearing in mind what you said, Leader of the Opposition, and bearing in mind the advice I passed on to the Chief Minister’s office, I would suggest the Chief Minister keeps her remarks very general and not specific to anything in the report, until we have all had a chance to see it.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, just to continue, I believe my remarks were very general but they were to a very strong principle that while we are having ...
Mr Burke: What about the ‘hear, hear’ from the rest?
Ms MARTIN: Because it is supported on this side of the House.
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: Because in principle - look at the greedy little grubs on the other side of the House. What I am saying is we have tough circumstances and I will not accept - this government will not accept - increases in office holders’ salaries ...
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Perhaps you might seek clarification from the Clerk, but it seems to me that there has been a major contravention of the proceedings of this House. We have the government, by the ‘hear, hear’ of the members, clearly indicating to this House that they have discussed in detail a report from an independent tribunal. There is no authority by virtue of being government ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition, if you would ...
Mr BURKE: If I may finish, Madam Speaker ...
Madam SPEAKER: Well ...
Mr BURKE: I am entitled to speak in this House.
Madam SPEAKER: I am going to take advice from the Clerk, so resume your seat until I take advice from the Clerk. I believe my remarks may have covered it all.
I am advised that my remarks were correct. In fact, because the report has not been tabled in the House, the Chief Minister’s remarks should be of a general nature only and not be specific to anything in the report. The Chief Minister is a member of the Executive Council and, as you know, the report does go to the Administrator who issues that notice to get the report done. So, the Chief Minister would have had knowledge of what was in the report. But I reiterate to the Chief Minister: because the report has not been tabled you cannot be specific in anything you say - not anything that was within that report.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016