❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Commerce regarding reductions in district allowances for government employees in remote WA, citing cost of living changes. The Minister confirms reductions based on the Regional Price Index (RPI) and existing agreements.
AnsweredQoN 626Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT
OFFICERS —DISTRICT ALLOWANCE
626. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
Minister for Commerce:
I refer to the
district allowance paid to government officers and government wages employees
living in remote and rural parts of Western Australia.
(1) Has there been a reduction in the rate
of DA payable to government wages employees in some places; and, if so, when
did this occur and in which places?
(2) Are the towns and zones in which DA has
been reduced now cheaper places to live and will the minister please table the
details?
(3) Will the minister please explain his
decision to reduce DA in some places while increasing payments in others?
OFFICERS —DISTRICT ALLOWANCE
626. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
Minister for Commerce:
I refer to the
district allowance paid to government officers and government wages employees
living in remote and rural parts of Western Australia.
(1) Has there been a reduction in the rate
of DA payable to government wages employees in some places; and, if so, when
did this occur and in which places?
(2) Are the towns and zones in which DA has
been reduced now cheaper places to live and will the minister please table the
details?
(3) Will the minister please explain his
decision to reduce DA in some places while increasing payments in others?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) Yes. Employees in the following
districts and specified towns will receive a reduced DA rate: Kimberley,
excluding Broome; Pilbara, including Karratha–Dampier; Gascoyne,
excluding Carnarvon; midwest, excluding Geraldton; and Goldfields–Esperance,
excluding Esperance and Warburton. The reductions apply from 15 April 2014 for
new employees and those moving between districts. For other employees,
reductions will apply from 1 July 2014.
(2) The
relative cost of living in regional areas of Western Australia compared with
Perth is measured by the regional price index. The RPI is determined through a
survey of large regional centres and selected towns throughout regional WA that
is conducted every two years and published by the Department of Regional
Development. The survey compares the price of a basket of goods and services in
regional WA with the same basket of goods in Perth. The basket includes over
500 goods and services, including food, clothing, housing costs, health and
personal care, and transport. The 2013 RPI reveals changes in the cost of
living across a number of regional areas, with the most notable being
reductions in northern Western Australia. The 2013 RPI is published on the
Department of Regional Development's website.
(3) The
methodology for calculating district allowances arises from the District
Allowance (Government Officers) General Agreement 2010 and the District
Allowance (Government Wages Employees) General Agreement 2010. The agreements
provide for the district allowance rates to rise and fall based on the
cost-of-living changes identified by the RPI. The methodology for calculating
district allowances, including the rise and fall component, was agreed to by
all employer and union respondents to the agreements.
question.
(1) Yes. Employees in the following
districts and specified towns will receive a reduced DA rate: Kimberley,
excluding Broome; Pilbara, including Karratha–Dampier; Gascoyne,
excluding Carnarvon; midwest, excluding Geraldton; and Goldfields–Esperance,
excluding Esperance and Warburton. The reductions apply from 15 April 2014 for
new employees and those moving between districts. For other employees,
reductions will apply from 1 July 2014.
(2) The
relative cost of living in regional areas of Western Australia compared with
Perth is measured by the regional price index. The RPI is determined through a
survey of large regional centres and selected towns throughout regional WA that
is conducted every two years and published by the Department of Regional
Development. The survey compares the price of a basket of goods and services in
regional WA with the same basket of goods in Perth. The basket includes over
500 goods and services, including food, clothing, housing costs, health and
personal care, and transport. The 2013 RPI reveals changes in the cost of
living across a number of regional areas, with the most notable being
reductions in northern Western Australia. The 2013 RPI is published on the
Department of Regional Development's website.
(3) The
methodology for calculating district allowances arises from the District
Allowance (Government Officers) General Agreement 2010 and the District
Allowance (Government Wages Employees) General Agreement 2010. The agreements
provide for the district allowance rates to rise and fall based on the
cost-of-living changes identified by the RPI. The methodology for calculating
district allowances, including the rise and fall component, was agreed to by
all employer and union respondents to the agreements.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.