Guidelines for Members of Parliament

In accordance with section 36 of the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal and Improving Parliamentary Standards Act 2019 (Vic)(opens in a new window), the Tribunal has the power to make guidelines for, or with respect to, the:

• parliamentary accommodation sitting allowance
• travel allowance
• international travel allowance
• commercial transport allowance
• Electorate Office and Communications Budget (EO&C Budget).

The Tribunal's Guidelines should be read together with the Determination in effect at the time.

On 6 October 2025, the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal made the Members of Parliament (Victoria) Guidelines No. 1/2025 (2025 Guidelines).

The principal updates in the 2025 Guidelines relate to the EO&C Budget, eligibility criteria for the parliamentary accommodation sitting allowance and support for Members of Parliament with disability, which are summarised in the explanatory note below.

The 2025 Guidelines take effect on 13 October 2025. They replace the Members of Parliament (Victoria) Guidelines No. 02/2024, which continue to apply before that date.

Guidelines

Explanatory Note

The making of the 2025 Guidelines follows a targeted review conducted over the past year. The Tribunal expresses its appreciation to all those who made a submission and assisted it in understanding current arrangements and practices.

Summary of review process

The Tribunal identified several emerging issues with the current guidelines and stakeholders raised several matters and suggestions. A targeted review of the current guidelines was undertaken in 2025 to consider those matters, including via a consultation paper provided to key stakeholders and consideration of submissions.

The Tribunal intends to undertake another review of the guidelines in making the next comprehensive determination of salaries and allowances for Members of Parliament (MPs) in 2027.

The Tribunal may also update the guidelines on an ‘as needs’ basis to address specific matters at its discretion.

Summary of changes to the guidelines

The key changes made are set out below.

Reasonable expenses for work experience students

The amount that may be claimed to pay for reasonable expenses of a work experience student has been raised from $25 to $35 per day.

Clarification has been made that this amount is intended as a contribution to the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of a secondary or tertiary student on work experience in an MP’s electorate office. It is not intended as compensation for time worked or any other form of wages or salary.

(see guideline 11(1)(q))

Use of electorate names in communication materials

Communication materials funded by an MP’s Electorate Office and Communications (EO&C) Budget must now bear the name of the MP’s electorate. The relevant Officer may make terms and conditions, for example, to allow for reasonable abbreviations of an electorate name.

(see guideline 13(1)(c))

Parliamentary accommodation sitting allowance

The list of electorates eligible to claim the parliamentary accommodation sitting allowance (PASA) in Schedule 1 has been removed.

In its place, new criteria require that an MP must have their primary residence:

• within their electorate, or
• within 10 kilometres of their electorate boundary, or
• prior to a change to their electorate’s boundaries, their residence fulfilled the above criteria and their residence did not change in the interim.

For currently eligible MPs claiming the PASA, eligibility requirements remain unchanged until they cease to be an MP.

(see guideline 18(1)(d) and 18(2))

Assistance for MPs travelling after late-night sittings

For sittings ending after 11:30pm, an MP may now use the commercial transport allowance for transport to their home base, or their parliamentary accommodation if claiming the PASA. MPs may also use the allowance for transport back to the Parliament on the following day.

(see guidelines 20(3)-(5))

Support for MPs with disability

Flexibility has been provided to the relevant Officer to modify the eligibility criteria of specific guidelines for MPs with disability. The relevant Officer may modify criteria for the travel allowance, commercial transport allowance, international travel allowance and/or the operating and maintenance costs that may be claimed from the EO&C Budget.

(see guideline 22)

Other matters

Removal of ‘Ministerial duties’

Mentions of ‘Ministerial duties’ have been removed from the guidelines in line with changes to the definition of ‘public duties’ in the Members of Parliament (Standards) Act 1978 (Vic).

Joint communications

Subject to the relevant Officer’s terms and conditions, joint communications may now be claimed by one MP – instead of on a pro-rata basis – for example, when the cost per MP of such communications is sufficiently small.

(see guideline 14(3))

Fringe benefits tax

The relevant Officer may now automatically deduct fringe benefits tax (FBT) from an MP’s EO&C Budget where any use of that Budget attracts a FBT liability.

(see guideline 17(1)(f))