Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak very briefly on the Parliamentary Business Resources Legislation Amendment (Review Implementation and Other Measures) Bill 2024. This is largely a machinery-of-government bill to change some expense reporting responsibilities from Finance to IPEA. IPEA is an independent body, and, therefore, we think those are good, positive changes and we support them.

I'm also really pleased to see that the government fixed in the House provisions that would have kept the usage of special-purpose aircraft shrouded in secrecy. I'm very pleased to see the government has fixed that and that they will now restore a measure of transparency in relation to that SPA usage, as is appropriate.

We do still have concerns about the Prime Minister's boys' club—let's be honest; it is mostly a boys' club—in that this bill would codify what has not been longstanding practice: for current prime ministers to determine the ongoing perks of previous prime ministers. We think that is deeply inappropriate and we think that it is far more appropriate that that decision sit with the Remuneration Tribunal. They are the independent body that we think should make that sort of decision. I have circulated a second reading amendment to give effect to that suggestion. Sadly, I'm not anticipating support for that, but it's important that we go on the record. I move:

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate notes that the Remuneration Tribunal, as an independent body, is better placed to determine the entitlements for former Prime Ministers than the Prime Minister of the day".