The Parliamentary Salaries and Allowances Tribunal report tabled in Parliament today recommends increasing the basic salary of Members of Parliament by about eight per cent over two years from July 1, 2014.
It also suggests, among other things, increasing electorate allowances by 2.76 per cent next year, the abolition of committee sitting fees and the introduction of a "Resettlement Allowance" of 12-weeks' salary to members who lose their seat.
It is the Government's view that there needs to be time for general consideration and debate about these proposals.
Changes must also be considered in the context
of the State Budget and a $1.1 billion budget black-hole left by the Labor Green
Government.
As a result, the Liberal Government has determined that we will not bring
forward any legislative amendments in response to this report which commence
before July 1, 2015.
This means that unless the Parliament decides
otherwise, pay and allowances received by MPs will be effectively frozen
for the next 12-months.
The Government will outline a position on MPs' pay from July 1, 2015 at an
appropriate time.