BILL SETS NEW WAGE STRUCTURE FOR JUDGES
Published Thursday, 01 November, 2007 at 03:48 PM
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland
The Honourable Kerry Shine
Queensland Judges and Magistrates will be paid under a new wage system with a Bill passed in State Parliament structuring their wages against those of Federal Court Justices, 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.
“Previously under the Judges (Salaries and Allowance) Act 1991 the remuneration of Queensland’s judicial officers was decided by the independent Salaries and Allowances Tribunal.
“The Bill replaces 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.”
“The new arrangements protect judicial independence by maintaining the separation of the executive from the process.”
Mr Shine said the Bill also amends the Freedom of Information Act 1992 to allow Government agencies or Minister’s the ability to ask an applicant for more time to consider their application before or after the expiry of the period for making a decision.
“Previously once the period for a decision on an application was out of time it was deemed the application was rejected.”
“This issue was only recently brought to the attention of the Government and we have acted swiftly to remedy the situation,” Mr Shine said.
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.
“Previously under the Judges (Salaries and Allowance) Act 1991 the remuneration of Queensland’s judicial officers was decided by the independent Salaries and Allowances Tribunal.
“The Bill replaces 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.”
“The new arrangements protect judicial independence by maintaining the separation of the executive from the process.”
Mr Shine said the Bill also amends the Freedom of Information Act 1992 to allow Government agencies or Minister’s the ability to ask an applicant for more time to consider their application before or after the expiry of the period for making a decision.
“Previously once the period for a decision on an application was out of time it was deemed the application was rejected.”
“This issue was only recently brought to the attention of the Government and we have acted swiftly to remedy the situation,” Mr Shine said.
Media Contact: Troy Davies 3239 6400, 0488 799 273