Report snapshot: Members' additional entitlements 2024

About this report

This report reviews compliance by members of the Parliament of New South Wales with certain requirements outlined in the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal’s (the Tribunal) 2024 Annual Determination (the Determination).

Claims made by members for additional entitlements totalling $12.7 million were within the scope of our review. The remaining payments of $12.1 million were not reviewed as there are certain salaries and allowances that the Determination excludes from our compliance review requirements.

Claims relating to annual basic and additional salaries, additional expense allowances, and electoral and committee allowances are excluded by the Determination from the scope of our compliance review.

Findings

From a sample of 56 claims, our compliance review procedures identified 27 departures from requirements of the Determination and/or the administrative guidelines of the Department of Parliamentary Services (the Department).

There were fewer departures this year than in previous years, however late submission of claims and declarations by members continued. The Department needs to provide clarity to members on expenditure claim requirements and processes. 

Recommendations

The Department should:

  • enhance its assessment as to whether members’ expenditure claims comply with requirements and advise members promptly about whether their claims are ineligible
  • improve its quality review processes when reporting the total number and dollar value of members’ additional entitlements claims for each year
  • ensure internal audits of members’ additional entitlements are adequately scoped and endorsed prior to their commencement and reflect the requirements of the Determination. These internal audits should be completed prior to the compliance  review performed by the Audit Office
  • continue to work with members to provide them additional training or education and better help them comply.
Fast facts
  • $12.7m paid to members for additional entitlements during the 2023–24 financial year 
  • 30,566 claims made by members for additional entitlements during the 2023–24
    financial year
  • 1 communication did not include it was ‘authorised by’ the member and ‘funded using parliamentary entitlements’
  • 21 expenditure claims submitted late
  • 5 loyalty/incentive scheme declarations submitted late

Further information

Please contact Renee O'Kane, Chief of Staff, on 9275 7347 or by email.