The salaries of judges of the Court Martial Appeal Court and Court Martial have been increased by 1.7% from 2016.
Allowances which are paid as a contribution towards costs have, however, remained unchanged.
The Judicial Salaries, Allowances, and Superannuatino (Court Martial Appeal Court and Court Martial) Determination 2017 has been gazetted.
The Remuneration Authority sets the salaries, allowances, and superannuation rights and obligations of appointed Judges of the Court Martial Appeal Court and the Chief Judge and other Judges of the Court Martial.
The determination is for the year from 1 January 2017. The explantory memorandum says the making of the determination was delayed beyond the expiry of the previous determination in order to allow the Remuneration Authority "to carry out preparatory work on the determination".
The latest determination expires on 31 December 2017.
Members of the Courts Martial are drawn from both serving Judges and private legal practitioners. Those who act on a part-time basis are paid for the time they act, calculated on a pro-rata basis as a proportion of the salary payable to an appointed Judge acting on a full-time basis.
The Authority says the increase in salary - 1.7% - reflects the movement in salaries for serving Judges, which took effect from 1 October 2016, as set out in the Judicial Salaries and Allowances Determination 2017.
The Authority says that as the appointed Judges continue to incur expenses in the running of their private practices, it specifies allowances to be paid as a contribution towards costs incurred. A review of the allowances this year resulted in them being left at their current level - which was set in 2014.
Determination from 1 January
Judiciary | 2017 | 2016 | Change | Allowance/Hour |
Court Martial Appeal Court | $438,000 | $430,695 | 1.7% | $75 |
Chief Judge | $359,500 | $353,430 | 1.7% | $105 |
Deputy Chief Judge | $334,500 | $328,950 | 1.7% | $45/$75* |
Judge | $334,500 | $328,950 | 1.7% | $75** |
* $45 when acting under section 13(3) of the Court Martial Act 2007; $75 when acting on a part-time basis.
**$75 when acting on a part-time basis.