JUDGES WAGES TO BE SET UNDER BILL BEFORE PARLIAMENT
Published Wednesday, 17 October, 2007 at 04:46 PM
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland
The Honourable Kerry Shine
A bill introduced into State Parliament will change the way judicial officers remuneration is determined, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine said today.
“The Judicial Remuneration Bill 2007 recognises the important role that secure and adequate remuneration plays in maintaining judicial independence and high quality appointments to judicial office.
“Currently under the Judges (Salaries and Allowance) Act 1991 the remuneration of Queensland’s judicial officers is decided by the independent Salaries and Allowances Tribunal.
“The bill proposes to replace this time consuming process with a new system which creates a statutory link between the remuneration of a Federal Court judge and a Queensland Supreme Court judge.
“Queensland Supreme Court judges will receive an amount equal to the salary of a Federal Court judge each year, which will be paid as salary and jurisprudential allowance.”
Mr Shine said the remuneration of other judicial officers will be benchmarked against the amount received by Supreme Court judges.
“For example, the salary and jurisprudential allowances of a District Court judge will be 90% of a Supreme Court judge’s remuneration.”
“The salary of a Magistrate will be set at 76.5% of a Supreme Court judge with Magistrates to also receive an allowance in lieu of a motor vehicle.”
Mr Shine said like the current system the new arrangements protect judicial independence by maintaining the separation of the executive from the process.
Media Contact: Troy Davies 3239 6400, 0488 799 273
“The Judicial Remuneration Bill 2007 recognises the important role that secure and adequate remuneration plays in maintaining judicial independence and high quality appointments to judicial office.
“Currently under the Judges (Salaries and Allowance) Act 1991 the remuneration of Queensland’s judicial officers is decided by the independent Salaries and Allowances Tribunal.
“The bill proposes to replace this time consuming process with a new system which creates a statutory link between the remuneration of a Federal Court judge and a Queensland Supreme Court judge.
“Queensland Supreme Court judges will receive an amount equal to the salary of a Federal Court judge each year, which will be paid as salary and jurisprudential allowance.”
Mr Shine said the remuneration of other judicial officers will be benchmarked against the amount received by Supreme Court judges.
“For example, the salary and jurisprudential allowances of a District Court judge will be 90% of a Supreme Court judge’s remuneration.”
“The salary of a Magistrate will be set at 76.5% of a Supreme Court judge with Magistrates to also receive an allowance in lieu of a motor vehicle.”
Mr Shine said like the current system the new arrangements protect judicial independence by maintaining the separation of the executive from the process.
Media Contact: Troy Davies 3239 6400, 0488 799 273