STATUTES AMENDMENT (ENTITLEMENTS OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT) BILL

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (10:39): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Parliamentary Remuneration Act 1990; the Parliamentary Superannuation Act 1974; and the Remuneration Act 1990. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (10:39): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

What this bill does, in essence, is put members' pay, allowances, superannuation and other entitlements in the hands of an independent tribunal. I believe this should have happened a long time ago. As members would know, we have a funny arrangement where our pay is linked to federal MPs who are then linked to a band of public servants. What we also have is a mixture of superannuation entitlements for members of parliament.

Mr Pengilly: You've got a good one, Bob; you're in the best.

The Hon. R.B. SUCH: I am in the good one. And I argue that the current arrangements are unfair because some members get a lot better deal than others for doing the same work. I would think it is a common standard principle that you get the same remuneration for doing the same work. Members who have been elected in recent times suffer from the political grandstanding of Mark Latham who, ironically, went out on his generous super, but the newer members in here have been short changed.

Rather than we in here getting involved in determining allowances and pay, and so on, I think it is appropriate that it be done by the independent tribunal. We have one so we do not have to create one. The remuneration tribunal already exists. I think it is appropriate that that body look at all these allowances, superannuation and pay to determine what is appropriate. Members would be aware that in the media today there is a report about a proposed pay rise for federal MPs that would then flow onto us.