Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I did not get an opportunity to make a brief contribution in relation to the second reading debate, and I apologise for that, but I would like to raise a couple of issues with the minister. I am grateful for the discussions that I have had in general terms with the Special Minister of State's office in relation to these issues broadly. I just want to clarify a few things. Firstly, schedule 2 contains amendments in relation to the salaries of parliamentarians and implements the recom­mendation of the committee for a review of parliamentary entitlements—the Belcher review—which proposed to restore the ability of the tribunal to determine parliamentary base salary, require the tribunal to publish reasons for its decisions in relation to parliamentary remuneration and remove parliament's ability to disallow parliamentary remuneration determinations made by the tribunal. I note that my colleague Senator Bob Brown, in his minority report for the Australian Greens, along with Senator Siewert, has a different view in relation to the last aspect.

My concern is about transparency and accountability in the process. That relates to the extent to which there can be appropriate public input into the process to ensure some openness so that, if politicians are seeking a pay rise or a change in their conditions, there must be some transparency in the process, in the same way, I guess, that Fair Work Australia may work. To what extent can the Remuneration Tribunal in its current form have a process that is seen to be more inclusive and transparent with respect to the setting of parliamentarians' pay? Is that something that is covered within the scope of the current powers of the tribunal, in addition to the proposed amendments?