TERM OF REFERENCE 3: Report on how the most recent increases compare with other areas of public sector wage and salary settlements over the past 10 years.
1. Increases to parliamentarians' compensation should not be applied retroactively.
TERM OF REFERENCE 4: Consider whether the present formula and linkages should be maintained, modified or abandoned:
2. Discontinue the link between Salaries of Permanent Secreta-ries and Cabinet Ministers.
TERM OF REFERENCE 5: Recom-mend, having regard to (4) above, whether or not a new formula is required and if so to make proposals as to the basis, mode and machinery of its application:
3. The Establishment of a Permanent Salaries Committee to examine and recommend periodic increases to the compensation of parliamentarians.
4. The emoluments of parliamentarians should be considered as having three separate components. Parliamentary compensation, and parliamentary expense reimbursements and constituency expense reimbursements.
5. Payments that are intended to be reimbursements or in-lieu-of; be determined on a more systematic basis.
6. No increase in the base pay of MPs.
7. Each Parliamentarian should be required to table in Parliament an annual report within the first three months of the calendar year a Parliamen-tarian Accountability Report. Additionally, MPs should be required to table in Parliament annually a Parliamentarian Transparency Report.
8. The implementation of Accountability and Transpa-rency payments to MPs and Senators.
9. The payment of a taxable allowance to the Leaders of Business, (Government and Opposition) in both Houses of Parliament.
10. The payment of a subsistence allowance and a parliamentary mileage allowance to be made to an MP from an out-of-town constituency.
11. The state to provide a constituency office for each MP.
12. An increase in the allowance paid to MPs to operate their constituency office.
13. The existing pay relationship between the Prime Minister, Cabinet. Ministers and Members of Parliament should be changed over time to more adequately reflect the additional responsibility of each position.
14. The Leader of the Opposition should be paid the same compensation as a Cabinet Minister and to be paid an additional allowance to run the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.
15. The Speaker of the House to be paid the same compensation as a Cabinet Minister.
16. MPs to be obliged to publicly declare the source of all income and benefits earned by them and their major assets.
17. The duty concession on motor vehicles purchased by Parliamentarians should be discontinued and replaced with an allowance of the same monetary value, paid in equal instalments over five years.
18. Parliamentarians compensation should be subject to taxation in an identical manner to the private citizen.
19. All salary and allowances be paid directly to Parliamentarians less any authorised deductions.
TERM OF REFERENCE 6: Consider the implications of the treatment of parliamentarians as "self-em-ployed" and to make recommendations, as it may deem just and appropriate.
20. The Committee makes no recommendation on the issue of Parliamentarians being regarded as "self-employed".
21. There should be an annual leave provision for Ministers of three weeks every year.
TERM OF REFERENCE 7: Examine the allowances presently paid to non-ministerial members of the Senate and recommend such adjustments as appear necessary:
22. Senators to be paid a taxable honorarium set at approximately twice the amount of the highest board fees paid in the public service from time to time.
23. No change in the emoluments paid to the Minister who is drawn from the Senate.
TERM OF REFERENCE 8: Examine the contributory pension scheme for parliamentarians and to make recommendations on the provision of reasonable benefits for retired legislators:
24. The existing un-funded pension scheme applicable to MPs should be discontinued.
25. Under the old pension scheme if a Parliamentarian wishes to link his broken service for pension purposes he should be allowed to do so.
26. Parliamentary pensioners receive the same minimum pension that pensioners from the civil service receive from time to time.
27. A planned and extensive orientation programme should be designed and implemented for new members of Parliament. This is to include a Handbook containing all the terms and conditions of their office.
OTHER ISSUES
28. Parliamentarians should receive the same entitlement for death benefits as are applicable for the Civil Service from time to time.
29. MPs who have left Parliament are entitled to a pension, but are not yet in receipt of that pension, should be allowed to access the Health Scheme that covers Parliamentary pensioners.
30. A pool of at least eight research assistants to be employed to Parliament.
31. The development and implementation of an intern programme for Parliament.
32. The construction of a new Parliament Building and the establishment of a Parliamentary Commission to lobby for the new building. Additionally, Parliament is to give consideration to any improvements that can be made to Gordon House to accommodate access by the physically challenged.
33. A Management Committee of Parliament should be established to make strong representation to the Ministry of Finance for budgetary support.
34. The Parliamentary Salaries Committee should review the existing laws dealing with pensions and other terms and conditions of service for Parliamen-tarians, Governors-General and National Heroes to ensure that the provisions are kept current.
35. Hansard should be brought up to date as quickly as possible.
36. A Parliamentary web site for the Houses of Parliament should be developed and maintained.
37. Some of the incremental costs of implementing the recommendations in this report might come from utilising some of the funds currently allocated to the SESP.
38. The Auditor-General to carry out a specific audit of the SESP funds.
39. Parliament to install a number of Internet booths and additional telephone lines for the use of Parliamentarians. Ministers to be allowed to use their office ICAS code in making official overseas calls from outside their offices.
40. A code of conduct to be developed and implemented for MPs similar to the one that exists for Ministers.
