Decisions have been made on the remuneration of three ministerial advisory councils – but those on the Youth Advisory Council need to wait a little longer. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Questions have been raised over the remuneration rates paid to people giving their time to sit on ministerial advisory councils, particularly the Youth Advisory Council and Ministerial Advisory Council on Women.
It was discovered members of the two councils weren’t being formally remunerated for their time, other than the chair (and co-chair, if they had one).
The Chief Minister referred the matter to the ACT Remuneration Tribunal on 2 February 2024.
The tribunal determined both are non-statutory advisory bodies and that the chair, deputy chair and members would be part-time public office holders.
It decided the Ministerial Advisory Council on Women’s chair would be remunerated at $615 per diem, the deputy chair at $570 per diem and members at $525 per diem.
However, a decision wasn’t made for the Youth Advisory Council, with the report citing “additional information” was needed and the determination deferred.
It was an issue brought up by the ACT Greens with young people spokesperson Laura Nuttall asking Youth Affairs and Women Minister Yvette Berry if the government was considering options for back pay for the council members.
“No. That is not usually the case,” Ms Berry responded.
“I do not believe I have ever seen a circumstance where an advisory council or any group has been backpaid by the government.”
Ms Berry described the reimbursement oversight as a “discrepancy” and assured the Legislative Assembly that investigations were underway to rectify the situation.
Ms Nuttall told Region that children and young people make up a fifth of the ACT’s population and so it was “essential” for them to be able to provide feedback on policy that directly affects them.
“The Youth Advisory Council provides just as much value as all our other fantastic advisory bodies. By not paying these members, I feel it puts children and young people at a disadvantage,” she said.
“They are doing the same work as other council members. Why shouldn’t we pay them?”
An ACT Government spokesperson outlined that both the Youth Advisory Council chair and co-chair were being remunerated and that there had always been “some reimbursement or remuneration” for members given the “nature and volume of work undertaken by volunteers”.
“Youth Advisory Council members receive a Participation Payment for their work on Council, as do members of other councils who are not currently covered by Remuneration Tribunal determinations,” they said.
“The Remuneration Tribunal is taking the consideration of Youth Advisory Council remuneration very seriously. Given the complexity relating to remuneration of young people, additional information has been requested from the Community Services Directorate.”
The spokesperson confirmed members are only paid from the commencement date of a council’s relevant remuneration determination.
These aren’t the only advisory councils that were found to not be receiving remuneration.
In November 2023, the Chief Minister requested the ACT Remuneration Tribunal determine the payment for those on the Ministerial Advisory Council for Veterans and their Families. This request was expanded on 5 January 2024 to also consider remuneration, allowances and other entitlements for those on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Space Reference Group.
The tribunal determined the same rates of payment for the above council positions should be the same rates as what was decided for the Ministerial Advisory Council on Women.
Original Article published by Claire Fenwicke on Riotact.
