Mr JULL (Minister for Administrative Services)(4.43 p.m.) —I move:

That the bill be now read a second time.

Section 66 of the constitution prescribes the maximum annual sum for the payment of salaries to ministers, unless the parliament provides otherwise. Amendments to the Ministers of State Act 1952, which sets the sum, are therefore required from time to time to cover changes in the level of ministerial salaries or the number of ministers. The sum appropriated is to meet the expected costs of salaries and no more.

The act's current limit on the sum appropriated is $1,615,000. This sum needs to be increased to $1,640,000 in the current financial year to meet increases in salaries for ministers under the previous government. In subsequent years because this government has reduced the number of ministers and reduced the salaries payable to ministers not in cabinet the sum required will be $1,600,000. Under the arrangements in place under the previous government a sum of $1,780,000 would have been required in subsequent years. I commend the bill to the House and present the explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Debate (on motion by Mr Laurie Ferguson) adjourned.