Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

This bill will set the salary of the next Governor-General.

The Governor-General is appointed by Her Majesty the Queen on the advice and recommendation of the Prime Minister and under the provisions of the letters patent relating to the office. On 28 January 2014, the Prime Minister announced that the Queen had approved his recommendation to appoint General Peter Cosgrove AC, MC as our next Governor-General following the retirement of Her Excellency the Honourable Quentin Bryce AC, CVO.

General Cosgrove will be sworn in as Governor-General on 28 March 2014. Section 3 of the Constitution prevents the Governor-General's salary from being altered during his term of office. As such, the salary must be set prior to the appointment of General Cosgrove as Governor-General on 28 March.

Although the Governor-General serves at the Queen's pleasure, it is usual to serve for approximately five years. As such, it is necessary to set the next Governor-General's salary at a level appropriate for the duration of this term.

It has been longstanding practice to set the Governor-General's salary with reference to that of the Chief Justice of the High Court. The proposed salary is based on a forecast of the Chief Justice's salary over the next five years using wages growth projections. I note that the Chief Justice's salary is determined annually by the Remuneration Tribunal, a body that is independent of government.

In setting an appropriate salary, the Governor-General designate requested that regard be given to the Commonwealth-funded military pension he will be entitled to receive during his term in office. This is consistent with precedent established by Sir William Deane in 1995 and continued most recently for Her Excellency Ms Bryce in 2008.

The proposed salary of $425,000 per annum therefore takes account of General Cosgrove's military pension.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.