1. Introduction
1.1 In accordance with section 36 of the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal and Improving Parliamentary Standards Act 2019 (Vic), the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal makes the following Guidelines for, or with respect to the use of, the:
1.1.a Electorate Office and Communications Budget
1.1.b parliamentary accommodation sitting allowance
1.1.c travel allowance
1.1.d commercial transport allowance
1.1.e international travel allowance.
1.2 These guidelines should be read together with the Determination in effect at the time.
2. Commencement
These Guidelines take effect on 13 October 2025 and replace the Members of Parliament (Victoria) Guidelines No. 02/2024.
3. Definitions
3.1 Terms not defined in these Guidelines have the same meaning as in the Determination, or the Parliamentary Salaries, Allowances and Superannuation Act 1968 (Vic), unless the contrary intention appears.
3.2 In these Guidelines:
Act means an Act passed by the Parliament of Victoria, unless otherwise stated;
allowance means a work-related parliamentary allowance as defined in section 3 of the PSAS Act;
commercial accommodation means accommodation in a commercial establishment (such as a hotel, motel, club, serviced apartment or other serviced property) or any other commercial property offering accommodation services to the public;
commercial transport means transit with an operator that, for remuneration, provides scheduled or non-scheduled transport services to the public for the carriage of passengers, but does not include:
a. any transport services provided to the Member by family members, public sector employees, electorate officers, ministerial officers or parliamentary advisers; or
b. transport by motor vehicle within the State of Victoria, except for reasonable transport directly to or from a Victorian airport;
committee means:
a. a joint house committee of the Parliament established under the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003 (Vic); or
b. a sub-committee of a joint house committee of the Parliament established under the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003 (Vic); or
c. a joint select committee of the Parliament, if the resolution of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council establishing the committee expressly provides that an allowance is payable; or
d. a standing committee or select committee of either House of the Parliament;
committee business has the meaning given in guideline 7;
Determination means the Determination made by the Tribunal under Part 3 of the VIRTIPS Act setting the value of salaries and allowances for Members, as in force from time to time;
Declaration of the poll for the electorate means a public advertisement of the result of the election for the electorate by the Victorian Electoral Commission in accordance with section 121(2) of the Electoral Act 2002 (Vic);
disability has the same meaning as it has in section 4 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic);
Electorate business has the meaning given in guideline 7;
EO&C Budget means the Electorate Office and Communications Budget;
health practitioner means a person registered to practise in Australia and listed on the register of practitioners as published by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency;
home base means a Member’s principal place of residence;
medical certificate means a certificate signed by a medical practitioner;
medical practitioner has the same meaning as it has in section 12 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth);
Melbourne centre means the intersection of Elizabeth Street and Bourke Street in Melbourne;
Member means a Member of the Parliament of Victoria;
metropolitan area means the area lying within a radius of 28 kilometres from the Melbourne centre;
office holder means an office set out in Schedule 1;
Parliament means the Parliament of Victoria;
parliamentary accommodation means a dwelling in the metropolitan area wholly maintained by a Member for a period not less than the aggregate number of sitting days of their House of Parliament in a calendar year;
parliamentary business has the meaning given in guideline 7;
PSAS Act means the Parliamentary Salaries, Allowances and Superannuation Act 1968 (Vic);
PSAS Regulations means the Parliamentary Salaries, Allowances and Superannuation Regulations 2019 (Vic);
public duties has the same meaning as it has in section 3 of the PSAS Act, which is further defined in guideline 7 for the purpose of these Guidelines;
relevant Officer has the same meaning as it has in section 3 of the PSAS Act;
transport costs means:
a. costs required for a person to travel by commercial transport; and
b. for the commercial transport allowance only, parking fees at a Victorian airport;
travel costs means costs for:
a. commercial accommodation;
b. meals; and
c. incidental expenses —
but does not include the purchase of alcohol;
Tribunal means the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal;
VIRTIPS Act means the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal and Improving Parliamentary Standards Act 2019 (Vic).
Updated