Page 2623 - Week 09 - Thursday, 8 August 1991
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MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (3.52): Mr Deputy Speaker, for the record I think it is worth putting a couple of issues into very plain English on this matter of public importance raised by Mr Stevenson. The first of those is that Mr Stevenson, who has raised the question of a pay rise, is taking the money. I think we have to be very clear about that. Mr Stevenson, who has exhorted us not to take the money, is doing so himself, although there is no obligation on him to do that.
Mr Stevenson: One has to understand that I am perfectly prepared to reject it if you vote with me. If you do not, I will use it on behalf of the people.
MS FOLLETT: So, Mr Stevenson must be seen on this issue, as on so many others, as being involved merely in grandstanding. He has no intention, and never had any intention, of forgoing any of the rewards of office in this Assembly.
Mr Stevenson: Put it to a vote. Let us see who is telling the truth.
MS FOLLETT: Mr Deputy Speaker, through you, I would say to Mr Stevenson that when he puts up a matter of public importance for discussion in this Assembly he at least ought to do other members the courtesy of listening to what they have to say on his topic, instead of continually interrupting. Mr Stevenson is grandstanding on this issue. He has raised it in the hope of attracting some sort of cheap, populist headline. The fact is that he has taken the money and continues to do so.
The other thing that I think ought to be put on the record is the way in which the pay rise was arrived at. Members generally would know that remuneration for members of this Assembly is set under section 73(2) of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act, under which remuneration can be set in two ways, and two ways only. The first of those is in accordance with the determination of the Commonwealth Remuneration Tribunal. If no such determination is in force, then remuneration is as specified by or under an enactment. So, it is not as if we can just decide for ourselves how much money we think we are worth and pay it to ourselves. We cannot; we never could; and we have not on this occasion.
Under the self-government Act successive ACT governments have used the Remuneration Tribunal. There are very good reasons for the tribunal having been used: Firstly, it is an expert body; secondly, it is an independent body; and, finally, it is the body that sets the remuneration for other similar assemblies, other parliaments, and therefore is in a position to make a comparison of the job worth of Assembly members. That is why the Remuneration Tribunal
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