Don't shut down scrutiny of politicians' pay - Brown

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says he will move for a Senate inquiry into the parliamentarians' remuneration bill, which the Government plans to push through the Senate on budget day.

"The bill will make politicians' pay rises more likely and ensure such rises face no scrutiny," Senator Brown said in Canberra today.

"This bill has been rushed through the House of Representatives with a total of 27 minutes debate and the Government is now attempting to ram it through the Senate on budget day."
 
"The Greens want greater scrutiny of parliamentarians' pay. The Remuneration Tribunal is secretive. It is potentially open to political influence without any counter-balancing public debate," Senator Brown said.

"Its decisions should be open to independent scrutiny. Removing the parliamentary check, and the ability for public debate, is bad for democracy."

The Remuneration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill gives the Tribunal, alone, the power to determine parliamentarians' base salaries and would mean that its future decisions on pay cannot be blocked or amended by the Parliament.