Parliament of Queensland and Other Acts Amendment Bill 2015
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill restores the Speaker's authority over running the Parliamentary Service, cancels a 2.58% pay rise for MPs, and links future MP pay to public service pay outcomes. It also reshapes the Committee of the Legislative Assembly, adding a cross bench member and giving the Speaker full voting rights.
Who it affects
MPs lose an already-granted pay rise and must repay any overpayments, while the Speaker gains substantial authority over how Parliament is run. Cross bench MPs get guaranteed representation on a key parliamentary committee.
Key changes
- Speaker takes back control of the Parliamentary Service, its budget, and the parliamentary precinct from the Committee of the Legislative Assembly
- MPs' 2.58% pay rise from April 2015 is cancelled retrospectively and the Clerk can recover overpayments from fortnightly salaries
- Future MP pay rises are capped at no more than the percentage increase granted to public servants, with the Tribunal required to decide within 90 days
- A cross bench MP is added to the Committee of the Legislative Assembly, raising its quorum from 4 to 5 members
- The Speaker gains a deliberative and casting vote on all Committee of the Legislative Assembly matters and takes over calling meetings and setting agendas
Bill Story
The journey of this bill through Parliament, including debate and recorded votes.
▸Committee27 Mar 2015View Hansard
Referred to Finance and Administration Committee
The Finance and Administration Committee examined the Parliament of Queensland and Other Acts Amendment Bill 2015, which proposed reforms to the Committee of the Legislative Assembly (CLA) including adding cross bench representation and strengthening the Speaker's role. The committee did not make a clear recommendation for or against passage, instead framing its two recommendations as amendments that should be made 'should the Bill reach the second reading stage'. Both recommendations concerned how cross bench members would be represented on the CLA.
Key findings (5)
- The bill proposed restructuring the Committee of the Legislative Assembly to include a cross bench representative, increasing membership from seven to eight
- The committee recommended that cross bench members select their own CLA representative, with the Leader of the House only intervening if they cannot reach agreement
- The bill proposed enhancing the Speaker's role on the CLA, including responsibility for calling meetings, setting the agenda, and having both a deliberative and casting vote
- The quorum for CLA meetings was proposed to increase from four to five members
- The Assembly of the Reps and Tribunal (ART) welcomed the strengthening of the Speaker's autonomy in managing the Parliamentary Service
Recommendations (2)
- The committee recommends that clause 24 be amended to reflect that cross bench members are to select their CLA representative in consultation with the Leader of the House, with the Leader having no vote but the power to decide if cross bench members cannot reach agreement by majority.
- The committee recommends that the bill be amended to reflect the intention that the cross bench member would be an additional member of the CLA to make it an eight member committee.
Committee report tabled
▸Second Reading20 May 2015View Hansard
▸14 members spoke9 support5 mixed
As Premier, moved the second reading and spoke in reply. Argued the bill delivers on election commitments to restore Speaker autonomy, include crossbench on the CLA, and cap MP pay rises at public servant levels. Moved amendments during consideration in detail.
“We in the government believe that members’ salaries should not be able to be increased by a percentage rate higher than that applying to public sector employees.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
As Leader of the Opposition, supported the Speaker autonomy and CLA crossbench provisions but opposed the cap on the Independent Remuneration Tribunal, arguing it undermines the tribunal's independence. Stated that if the government wants to link pay to public servants, it should abolish the tribunal rather than neuter it.
“You cannot, on the one hand, say that you are going to link your pay to public servants and, on the other hand, continue to maintain an independent remuneration tribunal that is responsible for setting politicians’ pay. You either do it or you do not.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
As committee chair, spoke in support of the bill across all three purposes: restoring Speaker autonomy, crossbench CLA membership, and capping MP pay rises. Argued the bill restores public faith in the parliamentary process.
“Not only do we put fairness back into the process, but also we are seen clearly to have put fairness back into it.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
As committee deputy chair, supported the Speaker autonomy and CLA crossbench provisions but strongly opposed the cap on the tribunal, arguing it destroys the independence of the Queensland Independent Remuneration Tribunal. Advocated the tribunal's own suggestion to embed public sector wages as a factor in section 29 instead.
“The real issue was the independence of the tribunal. It has nothing to do with MPs’ salaries today, what they were five years ago or what they might be in five years time. It is about the independence of the tribunal.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
Supported all three purposes of the bill. Argued that linking MP pay to public servant levels is fair, citing the important work done by residential care officers, child safety officers and park rangers covered by the core Public Service agreement.
“I ask: does anyone here truly think they deserve a wage increase over and above what these workers would receive?”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
As committee member, supported the CLA crossbench provisions but opposed the cap on the tribunal. Argued that giving MPs the power to determine their own salaries sends the wrong message to the community and that the tribunal should remain truly independent.
“The message I want to send to my community and to the rest of Queensland is that members of parliament should not be involved in determining their own salaries.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
As committee member, supported all three aspects of the bill. Argued that the percentage cap on the tribunal is justified because historically MP pay rises have been lumpy and create negative perceptions, and that the community overwhelmingly supports linking MP pay to public servants.
“If it is good enough for our police officers, our nurses, our paramedics, our firefighters, then it is good enough for me and I am sure that it is good enough for my colleagues sitting beside me.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
As committee member, supported the Speaker autonomy and CLA crossbench provisions but opposed the cap on the tribunal, arguing it amounts to political interference with an independent body that has functioned well since its establishment in 2013.
“There is an old saying, ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.’ I can only presume that the motivation for this amendment is popular politics, which would be very disappointing.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
Supported all three purposes of the bill, providing historical context on the role of the Speaker dating back to the 14th century, and arguing the bill delivers on the government's election commitment to link MP pay to public servant increases.
“The government acknowledges that the Speaker is representative of the House and its powers, rights and immunities because this is a government that believes in integrity and accountability.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
As former Speaker, strongly supported restoring the Speaker's autonomy, outlining four reasons why the CLA experiment failed: secrecy, fractured authority lines, exclusion of crossbenchers, and it being logjammed. Did not speak to the remuneration tribunal provisions.
“Despite the best intentions of a few, the Committee of the Legislative Assembly, as the supreme governing body over parliamentary services and accommodation, bipartisan as it was, was a failed experiment.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
Supported the bill, arguing the previous government's pay rises were hypocritical during mass public sector job cuts, and that MP pay should be linked to public servant increases as a matter of fairness and leadership by example.
“If it is good enough for them with all they do for us, then it is good enough for us.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
Supported the bill, noting KAP had moved a similar amendment in 2013 to link MP pay to public servant salaries. Praised the restoration of Speaker powers and criticised the Newman government's handling of MP pay rises during mass public sector cuts.
“KAP moved an amendment at that time to link pay rises of politicians to that of public servants. We could see that we have valuable public servants such as ambos, firies and nurses.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
Supported the bill, arguing politicians must lead by example in economic times and that MP pay should not be higher than public servant increases. Praised the contribution of all Queensland public servants.
“If a 2.2 per cent pay rise is considered good enough by those opposite for our hardworking public servants, then surely it should suffice for those of us sitting here in this chamber.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
Supported the bill as restoring fairness, arguing the previous government's rejection of similar amendments while capping public sector pay was hypocritical. Cited polling showing 75.2% of Queenslanders supported linking MP pay to public servant increases.
“Fairness and independence are not mutually exclusive concepts, and independence does not mean freedom from scope, nor parameters.”— 2015-05-20View Hansard
▸In Detail20 May 2015View Hansard
Amendment to clause 24 (section 81) to clarify that the CLA comprises 7 members when there are no crossbench members and 8 members when there are, with a crossbench member nominated through a process involving crossbench majority vote.
Insertion of new section 81A providing that crossbench members choose their CLA representative by majority vote, advise the Leader of the House in writing, and the Leader of the House has no vote in the process. If crossbench members do not advise within 2 sitting days, the Leader of the House may select the representative.
Amendment to clause 25 (section 83) to provide that the CLA quorum is 5 members when the committee includes a crossbench member, and 4 members otherwise.
▸1 clause vote (all passed)
Vote on a clause
Vote on whether to retain clause 29, which caps MP salary increases at no more than the percentage increase granted to public servants and retrospectively revokes the tribunal's 2.58% pay rise determination. The LNP opposed it as undermining the Independent Remuneration Tribunal's independence; the ALP, KAP and Independent member for Cook supported it.
The clause was kept in the bill.
A vote on whether a specific clause should remain in the bill as written.