This bill is currently before Parliament.
Government & democracy
The bill would amend the Remuneration TribunalThe independent Commonwealth body that determines or advises on pay, allowances and other conditions for many federal public offices and senior roles. Act to cap annual remuneration for holders of public officeA category under the Remuneration Tribunal Act that includes offices such as the Chief of the Defence Force, the Vice Chief of the Defence Force and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force. at less than $430,000, unless the responsible minister prescribes a different amount for that year.
The bill was introduced because Senator Jacqui Lambie argued that remuneration for Australian Government department secretaries, public officeA category under the Remuneration Tribunal Act that includes offices such as the Chief of the Defence Force, the Vice Chief of the Defence Force and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force. holders and principal executive officeA senior executive office covered by Remuneration Tribunal classification and remuneration arrangements. holders had risen too high and was being set with too little public scrutiny. The explanatory memorandum says most departmental secretaries were paid more than $900,000 a year, some received seven-figure packages, and all earned more than the Prime Minister. The bill responds by setting a $430,000 default statutory limit and making any higher annual amount a ministerial decision exposed to parliamentary disallowanceA parliamentary process that can cancel a legislative instrument if either house resolves to disallow it within the allowed period..
The bill sits in a debate about who should set pay and conditions for the highest-paid Commonwealth officials, and how visible those decisions should be to Parliament and the public. The collected evidence shows rising attention to senior public-sector pay, including reports of very large packages at government-owned businesses and public agencies, before Senator Lambie proposed a statutory cap for Remuneration TribunalThe independent Commonwealth body that determines or advises on pay, allowances and other conditions for many federal public offices and senior roles. determinations.
The collected local record does not show substantive criticism or opposition to the bill. It contains the sponsor's explanatory memorandum, the sponsor's incorporated second reading speech, APH committee referral notes, no proposed amendments, no recorded amendment outcomes and no counted divisions.
Senator Jacqui Lambie introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Jacqui Lambie Network.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
490 days
Updated 10 June 2026.
Meaning
The bill would amend the Remuneration TribunalThe independent Commonwealth body that determines or advises on pay, allowances and other conditions for many federal public offices and senior roles. Act to cap annual remuneration for holders of public officeA category under the Remuneration Tribunal Act that includes offices such as the Chief of the Defence Force, the Vice Chief of the Defence Force and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force. at less than $430,000, unless the responsible minister prescribes a different amount for that year.
The cap would also apply to remuneration bands for principal executive offices, with the Remuneration TribunalThe independent Commonwealth body that determines or advises on pay, allowances and other conditions for many federal public offices and senior roles. required to keep each amount or maximum band amount below $430,000 unless a ministerial amount applies.
The bill would require departmental secretaryThe head of an Australian Government department. The bill would affect the classification structure used for these roles. classification structures to keep annual remuneration at no more than $430,000, unless the minister prescribes a different amount for the year.
Any ministerial amount would have to be made by legislative instrumentA legal instrument made under an Act and generally tabled in Parliament. Under this bill, the minister could use one to prescribe a different annual remuneration amount. on or before 1 July in the previous year, meaning it would be tabled in Parliament and could be disallowed.
The bill would remove a Remuneration TribunalThe independent Commonwealth body that determines or advises on pay, allowances and other conditions for many federal public offices and senior roles. consent pathway that currently allows a Commonwealth employing body to set terms and conditions for a principal executive officeA senior executive office covered by Remuneration Tribunal classification and remuneration arrangements. that are inconsistent with the Tribunal's classification terms.
If passed, the bill would start the day after Royal AssentThe final formal approval a bill needs before it can become an Act. and would apply only to Remuneration TribunalThe independent Commonwealth body that determines or advises on pay, allowances and other conditions for many federal public offices and senior roles. determinations made on or after commencement, so the explanatory memorandum says it would not operate retrospectively.
An amount of remuneration determined under subsection (3) to be paid to the holder of a public office for a year must be less than: (a) $430,000, unless paragraph (b) applies; or (b) if the Minister prescribes an amount for the year under subsection 7A(1)—that amount.Remuneration Tribunal Amendment (There For Public Service, Not Profit) introduced bill text
determine an amount of remuneration, or maximum amount in a band of remuneration, for a year that is less than: (i) $430,000, unless subparagraph (ii) applies; or (ii) if the Minister prescribes an amount for the year under subsection 7A(1)—that amount.Remuneration Tribunal Amendment (There For Public Service, Not Profit) introduced bill text
A classification structure, or any matter, determined under this section must not set an amount of remuneration for a year for a classification that is more than: (a) $430,000, unless paragraph (b) applies; or (b) if the Minister prescribes an amount for the year under subsection (7)—that amount.Remuneration Tribunal Amendment (There For Public Service, Not Profit) introduced bill text
Such an instrument that prescribes an amount for a year is of no effect in relation to that year unless the instrument is made on or before 1 July in the preceding year. A legislative instrument must be tabled in both Houses of the Australian Parliament and is subject to disallowance.Remuneration Tribunal Amendment (There For Public Service, Not Profit) explanatory memorandum
This item amends subsection 12C(2) by removing the power of the Remuneration Tribunal to give written consent to a Commonwealth employing body determining terms and conditions in respect of a principal executive office that are inconsistent with terms and conditions determined by the Tribunal.Remuneration Tribunal Amendment (There For Public Service, Not Profit) explanatory memorandum
Clause 2 provides for the commencement of the Bill to be the day after the Act receives the Royal Assent. Item 6 provides that the amendments to the Remuneration Tribunal Act made by the Schedule apply to determinations made under that Act on or after the commencement of this item. This provision ensures there is no retrospective impact on Tribunal determinations.Remuneration Tribunal Amendment (There For Public Service, Not Profit) explanatory memorandum
Context
The bill sits in a debate about who should set pay and conditions for the highest-paid Commonwealth officials, and how visible those decisions should be to Parliament and the public. The collected evidence shows rising attention to senior public-sector pay, including reports of very large packages at government-owned businesses and public agencies, before Senator Lambie proposed a statutory cap for Remuneration TribunalThe independent Commonwealth body that determines or advises on pay, allowances and other conditions for many federal public offices and senior roles. determinations.
Tribunal raises official salaries
The Australian Financial Review reported that the Commonwealth Remuneration TribunalThe independent Commonwealth body that determines or advises on pay, allowances and other conditions for many federal public offices and senior roles. approved a 2.75 per cent pay rise for politicians, judges and senior public servants from 1 July 2022.
Australian Financial Review ↗Public service wage offer rises
The Australian Financial Review reported that the Albanese government offered federal public servants an 11.2 per cent three-year pay rise, the largest offer in more than a decade.
Australian Financial Review ↗Government business pay draws restraint warning
The Australian Financial Review reported that at least 32 top public servants at government-owned businesses earned more than $1 million, prompting Finance Minister Katy Gallagher to warn boards to show pay restraint.
Australian Financial Review ↗Million-dollar public-sector packages reported
The Australian Financial Review reported that Snowy Hydro chief executive Dennis Barnes was paid almost $2.3 million and that at least 30 senior public servants and government-owned corporation executives were paid more than $1 million.
Australian Financial Review ↗Lambie introduces pay-cap bill
Senator Jacqui Lambie introduced the bill in the Senate, arguing that senior Commonwealth remuneration had become excessive and should be capped unless Parliament allowed a higher ministerial amount to stand.
Parliament of Australia ↗Senate committee inquiry begins
The APH bill page records that the bill was referred to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee. That inquiry later lapsed when the Parliament ended on 21 July 2025.
APH bill page notes ↗Bill restored and referred again
After lapsing at the end of Parliament, the bill was restored to the Senate Notice Paper and referred again to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee.
APH bill page notes ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The Senate referred the bill to committee on 12 February 2025. That inquiry later lapsed when the Parliament ended on 21 July 2025.
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesThe bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The restored bill was referred again on 23 July 2025. The local APH note records a committee report date of 18 March 2026, but the report text was not included in the local source bundle.
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesKey criticism
The collected local record does not show substantive criticism or opposition to the bill. It contains the sponsor's explanatory memorandum, the sponsor's incorporated second reading speech, APH committee referral notes, no proposed amendments, no recorded amendment outcomes and no counted divisions.
This is a statement about the collected bill corpus, not proof that no stakeholder, committee member or parliamentarian raised concerns outside the available local sources. The local bundle records a committee report date but does not include the report text.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Jacqui Lambie supported the bill, arguing that pay for departmental secretaries and other senior public officeA category under the Remuneration Tribunal Act that includes offices such as the Chief of the Defence Force, the Vice Chief of the Defence Force and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force. holders had become excessive and insufficiently accountable.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“The Bill will end the excessive renumeration paid to departmental Secretaries and other public office holders by amending the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 to require the Tribunal to determine secretaries' remuneration within a statutory limit of $430,000.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate · Lapsed at end of Parliament
Lapsed at end of Parliament
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Restored to Notice Paper
Restored to Notice Paper
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
Referred to committee
The Senate referred the bill to committee on 12 February 2025. That inquiry later lapsed when the Parliament ended on 21 July 2025.
The bill was referred to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee. The APH bill page records that this inquiry lapsed at the end of Parliament on 21 July 2025.
APH bill page notesSenate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
Referred to committee
The restored bill was referred again on 23 July 2025. The local APH note records a committee report date of 18 March 2026, but the report text was not included in the local source bundle.
After the bill was restored to the Senate Notice Paper, the APH bill page records a further committee referral and a committee report dated 18 March 2026.
APH bill page notes