Independent tribunal appointed to set salaries for mayors, councillors

The Queensland Government has established an independent body to determine salaries for mayors and councillors in all local government areas across the state.

Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said the new three-member Local Government Remuneration Tribunal would finalise its first determinations by 1 December.

“The establishment of the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal is the next step in the Queensland Government’s local government reform program,” Mr Pitt said.

“Queensland’s new local government sector will be founded on independent boundaries, independently run local elections and, now, an independent tribunal that sets salaries.”

Mr Pitt said panel members were chosen based on their extensive knowledge and experience in local government, public administration, law, finance, industrial relations and community affairs.

The three members of the tribunal are:

• Adrian Bloomfield, Deputy President of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and chair of the tribunal
• Helen Gluer, chief executive officer of Tarong Energy, with 25 years experience in banking, finance and infrastructure
• Di McCauley, a former member of the Queensland Parliament from 1986 to 1998 and a former Minister for Local Government and Planning.

Mr Pitt said each of the tribunal members had a wealth of expertise and would ensure the tribunal’s findings were developed in an accountable and transparent manner.

“I have already met with the tribunal members to outline their terms of reference and I am impressed with their understanding of and enthusiasm for the task at hand,” he said.

“The tribunal is also seeking submissions from the community, councils and interested groups as part of its job to set salaries for elected officials.

“I strongly encourage all interested groups and individuals to make a submission.”

Each year, the tribunal will prepare a remuneration schedule recommending salary levels for elected officials. In addition, it will decide on categories of local governments and then assign each local government to a category.

In doing so, the tribunal will consider:

• the populations of local government areas, including the areas’ demographics, the spread of populations serviced by the local governments and the extent of the services provided by the local governments
• the size of local governments and the workload associated with particular sizes, including whether councillors hold office on a full-time or part-time basis
• the extent of development of local government areas, including economic and community development, infrastructure and industry
• the diversity, including cultural diversity, of the local governments’ communities
• the size, and geographical and environmental terrain, of local government areas.

Submissions close on November 14. Visit www.localgovernment.qld.gov.au for more information.

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819