Salary Cap for the Tribunal When Determining Basic Pay
Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill 2023
Legislative Council
Legislative Assembly
Assent
Introduced by: The Hon John Graham MLC (ALP); Jo Haylen MP (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Alister Henskens LIB
“On behalf of the Opposition, I speak on the Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill 2023. The piece of legislation involves a real cut to parliamentary salaries by a two-year freeze when currently there is now over 7 per cent inflation. In many respects, it is a piece of legislation and an announced policy that the Coalition supported, but it is unnecessary.”
Warren Kirby ALP
“I support the Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill 2023. The member for Wahroonga would have us believe that over a decade worth of wage suppression has nothing to do with—”
Mr GARETH WARD
“I support the Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill 2023. This very short bill seeks to cap parliamentary salaries for the next two years. I thoroughly endorse the Government’s reasoning, given the fact that as community leaders we must show restraint at this point in time. Many families across the electorates of our State are doing it tough. It is incredibly important that we lead by example.”
Maryanne Stuart ALP
“I am delighted to contribute to debate on the Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill 2023. The member for Wahroonga’s positive assessment of the former Government’s record was well off the mark. The fact is that the former Government has left our State in a dire mess, and the people of New South Wales have tasked the Minns Government with cleaning up that mess.”
Ray Williams LIB
“I contribute to debate on the Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill 2023. I start from the perspective of having watched yesterday’s speech by the new Labor Treasurer, which outlined his assessment of the current economic or budgetary position that he feels his Government is now in. At the same time I was looking at this bill in front of me.”
Sally Quinnell ALP
“I support the Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill 2023, which follows the Government’s election commitment to impose a two‑year pay freeze for politicians. I call into question some of the assertions made by the member for Kellyville. One of the mistakes being made in the Chamber today relates to the idea of responsible management of the budget.”
Donna Davis ALP
“I speak in support of the Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill 2023. The services delivered by the essential workers that we all rely on every day are so critical to New South Wales.”
Jo Haylen ALP
“As members would be aware, the bill amends the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal Act 1989 to implement a two-year pay freeze for politicians. The amendments to the Act will freeze the basic salary of members at the amount that was determined by the tribunal last year until 30 June 2025.”
News articles and press releases
Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill 2023
The Hon. JOHN GRAHAM, Minister for Roads — 2023-06-01
First, the Parliamentary Remuneration Amendment Bill freezes the basic salary of MPs in both Houses for two years. Secondly, the Statutory and Other Offices Remuneration Amendment Bill deals with the senior executive service and certain other categories of workers at the top level of the public service. The Government has committed to asking those workers to have a similar pay freeze. Thirdly, another commitment made by the incoming Government was to cut some of the ranks of the senior levels of the public service that had grown over time, particularly in some clusters.