Senator MINCHIN (Minister for Finance and Administration) (6:35 PM) —I do not want to prolong this debate but I want to welcome Senator Cherry's support for my arguments in opposition to this amendment and therefore express my disappointment that, despite that, he is going to support the amendment. Senator Cherry highlighted the extent to which the ALP amendment is riddled with inconsistencies with the positions they are taking on the rest of this legislation. I thought Senator Cherry emphasised that particularly well.

I have two other quick points. I do think that the status of Prime Minister in this country should be upheld. It is the highest elected office that any Australian can aspire to, and it would be unfortunate if the parliament, in a sense, expressed a devaluation of that office by some sort of legislative cap of this kind. In this country we ought to pay more regard to, and regard with greater reverence, those who have served in the highest elected office in the land. I think that is one of the things we can learn from the American system of government, because they do that very well. Therefore, I do not agree with moves that devalue that office.

I also make the point that if Mr Latham should ever become Prime Minister and retire and go onto a pension, it is always open to him to voluntarily give up part of that pension. He can donate it to charity, give it back to the government or do whatever he likes with it. If he thinks it is excessive he need not take it all, or he can donate it to his favourite cause. That would be a much better course of action than seeking to have the parliament legislate to provide a cap of this kind. I think Senator Cherry is quite right to earmark this as nothing more than a stunt.

Question agreed to.