PART 1 – LEGAL MATTERS AND EXPLANATION OF TERMS

1. Authority: This Determination is issued pursuant to sub-sections 7(1), 7(2) and 7(4) of the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973.
2. Effective Date: This Determination takes effect on and from 1 September 2013.
3. Effect on Earlier Determinations: This Determination supersedes and revokes in full Determination 2012/19 - Members of Parliament – Travelling Allowance.
4. Definitions: The following definitions apply in this Determination:

1.4.1 ‘commercial accommodation’ means accommodation in a commercial establishment such as a hotel, motel or serviced apartment;

1.4.2 ‘home base’ means the member’s principal place of residence. The home base shall be nominated to the Special Minister of State. In the case of a Minister or office-holder required to spend continuous periods in Canberra on official business, the home base shall be the place of residence which the Minister or office-holder maintains and to which he or she would ordinarily return if the Minister or office holder was not required to spend the continuous periods in Canberra on official business;

1.4.3 ‘member’ means a member of either House of the Parliament unless otherwise specified;

1.4.4 ‘office holder’ includes the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Leader and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the Leader and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, the Deputy President and Chairman of Committees in the Senate, the Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives and the Leader of a recognised party of at least five members in the Parliament;

1.4.5 ‘Parliamentary Committee’ includes committees concerned with public affairs and committees concerned with the domestic affairs of Parliament;

1.4.6 ‘spouse’ has the same meaning as in the Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990;

1.4.7 ‘vice-regal function’ means a function hosted by the Governor-General (or Administrator on his/her behalf), or a function hosted by a State Governor (or Administrator on his/her behalf);

1.4.8 ‘year’ means a period commencing on 1 July and ending on the following 30 June.

1.5 Scope of references to cities: Where there is a reference to the following named cities, it is intended that:

1.5.1 Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth or Sydney means locations within a 10 kilometre radius from the General Post Office or five kilometres from the major airport servicing the city;

1.5.2 Darwin or Hobart means locations within a five kilometre radius from the General Post Office or five kilometres from the major airport servicing the city; and

1.5.3 Canberra means locations within a 30 kilometre radius of Parliament House.