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 January 2013 and expires on 31 December 2013, sets the salaries and superannuation rights of coroners.

The Remuneration Authority (the Authority) is responsible for setting the remuneration and the superannuation rights of coroners.

The Authority is required to have regard to the following when setting remuneration for coroners and other judicial officers:

• the need to achieve and maintain fair relativity with the levels of remuneration received elsewhere; and

• the need to be fair both—

  • to the persons or groups of persons whose remuneration is being determined; and

  • to the taxpayer or ratepayer; and

• the need to recruit and retain competent persons.

In addition, the Authority must take into account—

• the requirements of the position concerned; and

• the conditions of service enjoyed by the persons whose remuneration is being determined and those enjoyed by the persons or members of the group of persons whose remuneration and conditions of employment are, in the opinion of the Authority, comparable with those of the persons or members of the group whose remuneration is being determined; and

• any prevailing adverse economic conditions, based on evidence from an authoritative source, and may determine the remuneration at a rate lower than it would otherwise have determined.

The Authority's first determination for coroners came into force on 1 July 2007. In determinations made since that time the Authority has set coroners' remuneration taking account of movement in the remuneration of other judicial officers and the evolving role of coroners.

This determination increases the salary of coroners from $232,500 to $240,000, broadly in line with the increase in salaries that the Authority determined for Judges in 2012.