Explanatory memorandum

This memorandum is not part of the determination, but is intended to indicate its general effect.

This determination, which is deemed to have come into force on 1 November 2012, sets a new rate for the salary of the Governor-General. The determination is made under the Governor-General Act 2010 (the Act), which provides for the Governor-General's salary to be determined from time to time by the Remuneration Authority.

The Act replaces those parts of the Civil List Act 1979 relating to remuneration for the Governor-General. That Act provided for the salary of the Governor-General to be set on the basis that it was exempt from income tax, and provided for a tax-free allowance covering both official programme expenses and personal expenses. Under the Act, the salary of the Governor-General is set on the basis that it is not exempt from income tax. The Act also makes certain changes to the allowance of the Governor-General, and to the funding of the Governor-General's programme, which are relevant to the setting of salary.

This is the second determination made by the Authority under the Act. The first determination, made in July 2011, made a number of adjustments to the way in which the Governor-General's salary is set, consistent with the provisions of the Act. These adjustments are described in the explanatory memorandum to the July 2011 determination. That determination covered the period from 1 August 2011 to 31 October 2012 and set a salary of $311,000 a year. In this determination, the Authority has adjusted the salary to $318,775 a year, in line with adjustments made by the Authority in 2012–2013 for the other senior offices for which it sets remuneration.

This determination expires on 31 October 2013.