Robyn Ironside The Courier-Mail November 15, 2013
QUEENSLAND MPs will be able to claim an extra $105 a day to cover the cost of meals while at State Parliament.
The MPs have been granted the payment despite having access to taxpayer-subsidised meals for as little as $4.20.
Eighty
of the 89 MPs who have free accommodation at the Parliamentary Annexe
will be eligible for payments, with no receipts needed.
Nine
mostly city-based MPs who are not provided with a room because of space
restrictions can already claim a $315 daily travel allowance for an
overnight stay in Brisbane.
The changes are included in the latest determination released by the Queensland Independent Remuneration Tribunal last night.
MPs
who have a room in the parliamentary annexe can stay during visits to
Brisbane for sitting days and other business, but currently do not
qualify for daily travel allowance.
"Effective from October 15,
2013, MPs who are provided with overnight accommodation in the
Parliamentary Annexe will be able to make a claim for one-third of the
capital city Daily Travel Allowance amount for an overnight stay in
Brisbane when conducting parliamentary business," said the
determination.
MPs and their guests currently have access to
taxpayer-subsidised meals at the parliamentary canteen with hot dinners
for as little as $4.20.
At the Members' Dining Room, a buffet breakfast can be had for $6.65, and a three-course meal for $10.55.
The tribunal found motor vehicle allowance should remain unchanged but increased the daily travel allowance.
Instead
of $305 a day when visiting capital cities in Australia, New Zealand
and Papua New Guinea, MPs will now receive a payment of $315 to cover
food and other expenses.
The allowance for visiting regional towns
will rise from $240 to $270 a day and the overseas daily travel
allowance of $333 remains the same.
All payments are in addition
to a "general travel allowance" of between $18,360 and $61,720 to cover
the costs of commuting from electorate offices to Parliament.
Last
month the tribunal granted MPs an 8.5 per cent pay rise, or $12,000 a
year for backbenchers, taking their base pay to $148,848.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-politicians-to-get-105aday-meal-allowance-along-with-more-perks/story-fnihsrf2-1226760294214
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