The issue of parliamentary salaries, allowances and entitlements continues to generate interest and comment. This background note sets out recent major changes to the parliamentary remuneration and entitlements regime, including the authority and governing legislation and explains how different aspects of parliamentary remuneration and entitlements are regulated. It does not include commentary on government policy...

This background note details the approach taken in Australian and some overseas parliaments to codes of conduct for ministers and members of parliament, registers of interests, the post-separation employment of ministers and the use of ethics commissioners in providing advice on or conducting investigations into breaches of codes. It also includes sections on codes covering...

This background note details the approach taken in Australia and some overseas parliaments to codes of conduct for ministers and members of parliament, registers of interests, the post-separation employment of ministers and the use of ethics commissioners in providing advice on and/or conducting investigations into breaches of codes.

Parliamentary salaries, allowances and entitlements generate public discussion and attract media opinion. This background note provides relevant data, hyperlinks and documents on the remuneration of Australian federal parliamentarians. It explains the legislative basis, fixing and linking mechanisms for salaries and allowances, and those entitlements that are reported such as travel and electorate allowances. Links to...

During the Howard government’s time in office five bills attracted a conscience vote. These bills were: Euthanasia Laws Bill 1996, Research Involving Embryos Bill 2002, Prohibition of Human Cloning Bill 2002, Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Repeal of Ministerial Responsibility for Approval of RU486) Bill 2005 and Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of...