Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I thank Senator Brown for moving his motion to establish and independent Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. I respect the initiative behind this motion. The Australian Taxation Office has a role in monitoring electorate allowances, but the motion as recognised is constructed more broadly than just the electorate allowances; it includes other allowances as well. Senator Brown has correctly identified that this broad area of public expenditure has its problems as it is currently arranged, and I think there are two main grounds for this. Firstly, there is a need for greater transparency in the area of politicians’ entitlements. Of course, it is not helped by the fact that the system itself is complex, arcane and has grown up out of a range of ad hoc arrangements. Secondly, it is, not surprisingly, a complex area dealing with entitlements systems. Members and senators can and do find the administration difficult to navigate through. It is a technical, unique and quite discrete area of administration, and it requires significantly well trained staff to deal with the requirements of providing advice and clarity about it. The ministerial and parliamentary entitlements section of the Department of Finance and Deregulation has that responsibility. I am not convinced that it is equipped with either clear guidelines or a system of practices that would enable the offering of definitive advice in this area.

For those reasons, over the coming weeks I intend to examine this area and I will take on board the model proposed by Senator Brown. I know it is not formulated in a final method, but I understand the suggestion which underpins it, amongst others that I may look at as well. (Extension of time granted) However, I am not prepared to commit the government to the selection of this model or to an agreement to a motion of this broad application. Accordingly, I will not be supporting the motion. I think it requires time to consider the views, to discuss it with colleagues around this chamber, including ministerial colleagues, and to undertake a consultative process in respect of it. I have previously in this chamber dealt more broadly with the issue of the Remuneration Tribunal, which dealt with the increase to the allowance, so I will not go over that territory again. I have indicated a position that, though Senator Brown may not agree with it, I think serves a better course. I am happy to further discuss with him how he might want to progress some of these matters as well. I know he has interest in ensuring there is integrity and public accountability in this area.