EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

 

 

Select Legislative Instrument 2007 No. 351

 

Issued by the authority of the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

 

Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973

 

Remuneration Tribunal (Members’ Fees and Allowances) Amendment Regulations 2007 (No. 1)

 

The Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 (the Act) establishes the Remuneration Tribunal (the Tribunal) as an independent statutory authority responsible for reporting on and determining the remuneration, allowances and entitlements of key Commonwealth office holders. These include members of the Parliament, Judges of federal courts and Territory Supreme Courts, most full-time and part-time holders of public offices and Principal Executive Offices.

 

Section 13 of the Act provides that the Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing all matters required or permitted by the Act to be prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the Act.

 

The Regulations increase the annual fees payable to the President and other members of the Tribunal. Under section 4 of the Act, the Governor-General appoints the three part-time members of the Tribunal, one of whom is also appointed as President of the Tribunal. Section 12 of the Act provides that a member of the Tribunal shall be paid such fees and allowances as are prescribed.

 

The Remuneration Tribunal (Members’ Fees and Allowances) Regulations 2005 prescribes the level of remuneration for the President and the Members of the Remuneration Tribunal; the current amounts are $69,260 and $33,500 respectively.

 

The Regulations increase the level of remuneration by 4.2% to $72,170 for the President and $34,910 for the Members of the Remuneration Tribunal commencing 25 November 2007. The increases are consistent with recent increases to the salaries of part-time Public Office Holders. The President and Members of the Remuneration Tribunal are part-time appointments and so their positions are closely aligned to those of part-time Public Office Holders.

 

An assessment was made under guidelines issued by the Office of Best Practice Regulation, which indicated that a regulation impact statement (RIS) was not required for these Regulations because the amendments are of a minor or machinery nature and do not substantially alter existing arrangements.

 

No consultation has taken place in relation to the Regulations as they are of a minor or machinery nature and do not substantially alter existing arrangements.

 

The Regulations are a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.

 

The Regulations commence on 25 November 2007.