Bill
Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017
passed, as at 2017-02-22. Special Minister of State portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Special Minister of State
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2017-02-09
- second reading — 2017-02-09
- second reading — 2017-02-14
- second reading — 2017-02-15
- second reading — 2017-02-15
- committee — 2017-02-15
- third reading — 2017-02-15
- introduced — 2017-02-15
- second reading — 2017-02-15
- second reading — 2017-02-16
- second reading — 2017-02-16
- committee — 2017-02-16
- third reading — 2017-02-16
- passed — 2017-02-16
- royal assent — 2017-02-22
Divisions
- Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 - in Committee - Get rid of gold pass — 2017-02-16, Senate: negative, ayes 14, noes 31
- Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 - in Committee - Former PMs and the gold pass — 2017-02-16, Senate: affirmative, ayes 37, noes 12
- Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 - in Committee - Prime ministers — 2017-02-16, Senate: negative, ayes 13, noes 32
- The majority voted against an [amendment](http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Famend%2Fr5799_amend_972809b4-931d-4b07-9b0c-43f8afd80192%22;rec=0) introduced by Australian Conservative Senator [Cory Bernardi](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/sa/cory_bernardi) (SA), which means it was unsuccessful. Senator Bernardi [explained that](http://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2017-02-16.190.1): > *I think it is only reasonable that those who retire from this place who are eligible for a defined benefit pension scheme are not able to access it until they reach the preservation age, like every other Australian, of 60 years of age. This will prevent circumstances where we have seen leaders of political parties in this place retire at the ripe old age of 38, or thereabouts, and they are still living on the taxpayers' purse.* ### Amendment text > *(1) Schedule 2 , page 19 (before line 4) , before heading specifying Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 , insert:* > *Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Act 1948* > *1A At the end of section 18* > *Add:* >> *(13) Despite anything in this Act, any instrument under this Act or any other law relating to Parliamentary superannuation, a member is not entitled to any benefit under this Act, or any other law relating to Parliamentary superannuation, unless the member is at least 60 years old.* — 2017-02-16, Senate: negative, ayes 11, noes 30
- Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 - in Committee - Gold Pass travel entitlement — 2017-02-16, Senate: negative, ayes 5, noes 35
- The majority voted against an amendment introduced by Senator [Nick Xenophon](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/sa/nick_xenophon) (SA), which means it was unsuccessful. There was one rebel voter in this division: Liberal Senator [Ian Macdonald](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/queensland/ian_macdonald) (Qld). Senator Macdonald voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party. Voting against your own party is know as [crossing the floor](http://www.peo.gov.au/learning/fact-sheets/crossing-the-floor.html). ### What was the amendment? Senator Xenophon explained that: > *This amendment provides for a loading. Then, if you breach the rules, if you make a claim for a payment that you should not have made, you are liable to pay at least double the amount to which the section applies ...* > *... In other words, if you are a repeat offender, you pay more, just like other laws that are enforced, whether it is traffic offences or other offences. If you are a repeat offender, you should pay more ...* > *...The current penalty of a 25 per cent loading is akin to being slapped with a piece of wet lettuce leaf. It is not effective. There is nothing like a financial penalty, given human nature, to keep people on their toes to make sure they comply. That is why this amendment is so important.* ### Amendment text > *(1) Schedule 2, item 7, page 23 (lines 31 to 33), omit subsection 10C(4), substitute:* > *(4) The recipient is liable to pay the Commonwealth, by way of penalty for the contravention of section 7A (the current contravention), an amount equal to:* > *(a) if the recipient has not contravened that section, or has contravened that section once, during the period of 12 months immediately preceding the day on which the claim to which the current contravention relates is made—200% of the amount to which this section applies; or* > *(b) if the recipient has contravened that section 2 or more times during the period of 12 months immediately preceding the da — 2017-02-16, Senate: negative, ayes 12, noes 26
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2017-02-09.
This bill would tighten rules on travel benefits for current and former parliamentarians.
It would add a 25% penalty on incorrect travel claims and limit children's travel to those under 18.
The Life Gold Pass scheme would be renamed the Parliamentary Retirement Travel Entitlement, with benefits reduced or removed for most former members except former prime ministers.
- Adds a 25% loading to certain travel claim adjustments.
- Reduces the age limit for children's travel from 25 to 18.
- Renames the Life Gold Pass scheme and cuts benefits.
- Imposes expiry dates on travel entitlements.
- Closes the scheme to new retirees after the bill starts.
- Removes spouse travel except for former prime ministers.
Current and former parliamentarians, their spouses and children, and the Department of Finance.
Sources
em
billhome
frl act