SALARIES (STATUTORY OFFICES) ADJUSTMENT.
No. 39 of 1957.
An Act to increase the Salaries payable to the Holders of certain Statutory Offices, and for purposes connected therewith.
[Assented to 12th September, 1957.]
BE it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, for the purpose of appropriating the grant originated in the House of Representatives, as follows:—
Short title.
1. This Act may be cited as the Salaries (Statutory Offices) Adjustment Act 1957.
Commencement.
2. This Act shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of July, One thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven.
Amendment of certain Acts.
3.—(1.) The Acts specified in the first column of the First Schedule to this Act (being Acts fixing the salaries payable to the holders of the offices respectively specified in the second column of that Schedule) are amended as respectively specified in the third column of that Schedule.
(2.) Section one hundred and eighty-two of the Income Tax and Social Services Contribution Assessment Act 1936–1956 is amended by omitting the words “Thirty-five thousand pounds” and inserting in their stead the words “Forty-three thousand pounds”.
(3.) Section one of the Public Service Act 1957 is amended by omitting sub-section (3.).
Citation of Acts.
4. Each Act specified in the first column of the Second Schedule to this Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited in the manner specified in the second column of that Schedule opposite to the reference to that Act in the first column.
THE SCHEDULES.
FIRST SCHEDULE. Section 3.
First Column. | Second Column. | Third Column. |
Acts amended. | Offices. | Amendments. |
Audit Act 1901–1955 | Auditor-General for the Commonwealth | Section 4— |
Omit “Four thousand five hundred pounds”, insert “Five thousand pounds” |
Commonwealth Railways Act 1917–1956 | Commonwealth Railways Commissioner | Section 14— |
Omit from sub-section (1.) “Four thousand five hundred pounds”, insert “Five thousand pounds” |
Public Service Act 1922–1955, as amended by the Public Service Act 1957 | Chairman of the Public Service Board | Section 13— |
Omit from sub-section (1.) “Five thousand five hundred pounds”, insert “Six thousand pounds” |
| Member of the Public Service Board | Section. 13— |
Omit from sub-section (1.) “Four thousand five hundred pounds”, insert “Five thousand pounds” |
Public Service Arbitration Act 1920–1956 | Public Service Arbitrator | Section 7— |
Omit from sub-section (1.) “Four thousand five hundred pounds”, insert “Five thousand pounds” |
Taxation Administration Act 1953–1955 | Commissioner of Taxation | Section 5— |
Omit from sub-section (6.) “Five thousand five hundred pounds”, insert “Six thousand pounds” |
| Second Commissioner of Taxation | Section 5— |
Omit from sub-section (6.) “Four thousand five hundred pounds”, insert “Five thousand pounds” |
SECOND SCHEDULE. Section 4.
First Column. | Second Column. |
Acts amended. | Citations. |
Audit Act 1901–1955.................. | Audit Act 1901–1957 |
Commonwealth Railways Act 1917–1956..... | Commonwealth Railways Act 1917–1957 |
Income Tax and Social Services Contribution Assessment Act 1936–1956 | Income Tax and Social Services Contribution Assessment Act 1936–1957 |
Public Service Act 1922–1955, as amended by the Public Service Act 1957 | Public Service Act 1922–1957 |
Public Service Arbitration Act 1920–1956.... | Public Service Arbitration Act 1920–1957 |
Taxation Administration Act 1953–1955..... | Taxation Administration Act 1953–1957 |
Overview
The Salaries (Statutory Offices) Adjustment Act 1957 was enacted by the Commonwealth Parliament to increase the salaries payable to the holders of certain statutory offices, reflecting the economic conditions of the time and ensuring the remuneration was commensurate with the responsibilities of these roles. The Act was deemed to have come into operation on 1 July 1957, indicating a prompt implementation to address any salary-related concerns. The policy objective was to align the salaries of key public servants with the prevailing market rates, ensuring that these roles remained attractive and could effectively retain and recruit qualified individuals. This legislative action involved amendments to several existing Acts, primarily focusing on increasing the specified salaries for roles such as the Auditor-General, the Commonwealth Railways Commissioner, and various positions within the Public Service, thereby addressing the identified gap in the remuneration of statutory office holders.
Scope and Application
The Salaries (Statutory Offices) Adjustment Act 1957 applies to various statutory offices within the Commonwealth of Australia by amending several existing Acts to increase the salaries of the holders of those offices. This Act directly impacts the offices of the Auditor-General for the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth Railways Commissioner, the Chairman and Members of the Public Service Board, the Public Service Arbitrator, and the Commissioner and Second Commissioner of Taxation. The amendments specify the new salary amounts for each office, reflecting adjustments from the original rates. The Act came into operation on 1 July 1957, thereby immediately effectuating the salary increases outlined in the First Schedule. Furthermore, the Act includes amendments to the Income Tax and Social Services Contribution Assessment Act 1936–1956 and the Public Service Act 1957 to align with the new salary figures. There are no stated exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds within the Act itself, but it does allow for further adjustments or specifications through subordinate instruments, as indicated by the amendments listed in the schedules.
Key Provisions
The Salaries (Statutory Offices) Adjustment Act 1957 (C1957A00039) is primarily concerned with amending the salaries payable to the holders of certain statutory offices. Under section 3(1) of the Act, it specifies amendments to various acts that fix the salaries of particular offices. For instance, the Auditor-General's salary is increased from £4,500 to £5,000 under the Audit Act 1901–1955, and the Commonwealth Railways Commissioner's salary is also adjusted from £4,500 to £5,000 as per the Commonwealth Railways Act 1917–1956. Additionally, the Act modifies the Chairman of the Public Service Board's salary from £5,500 to £6,000 under the Public Service Act 1922–1955, as amended by the Public Service Act 1957. Similarly, the Public Service Arbitrator's salary is raised from £4,500 to £5,000 under the Public Service Arbitration Act 1920–1956. Moreover, the Commissioner of Taxation's salary is increased from £5,500 to £6,000 and the Second Commissioner of Taxation's salary from £4,500 to £5,000 under the Taxation Administration Act 1953–1955.
In terms of obligations and requirements, the Act imposes a clear directive to adjust the salaries of the specified statutory offices to the new rates as outlined in the various acts. It mandates that the amendments be carried out to ensure that the holders of these offices receive the updated salary figures. For instance, the Audit Act 1901–1955 now reflects an increased salary for the Auditor-General, and this must be adhered to in all respects. The Act also ensures that the changes are recorded in the relevant legislative texts, as evidenced by the amendments to the citations in the Second Schedule.
In terms of potential breaches and consequences, the Act does not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties for non-compliance with the salary amendments. However, the statutory requirement to adjust salaries implies that any failure to do so could be subject to legal scrutiny. While the Act itself does not detail the penalties, any non-compliance could potentially lead to legal challenges or administrative actions under other relevant legislation. The absence of explicit penalties in this Act suggests that adherence to the salary amendments is critical to avoid any legal ramifications that might arise from failing to meet the statutory obligations.