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2/04 Stipends, Allowances and Benefits

(A report on behalf of the Standing Committee.)

• Introduction
• Minimum Stipends
• Remuneration Packaging
• Superannuation Contributions
• Travelling Allowances/Benefits
• Remuneration for Occasional Services
• Acting Ministers and Locum Tenens
• Part-Time Pastoral Workers
• Male and Female Student Ministers

Introduction

1. The Stipends and Allowances Committee (the 'Committee') is appointed by the Synod each year and reports to the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee is directed by resolution 8/81 to report to the Synod all recommendations made by the Committee and the action taken.

2. The re-appointment of the Committee is recommended for 2006, the present members being -

Mr R Bradfield	Mr D Mitchell
Bishop G Davies	Mr T Muir
The Rev N Foord	The Rev C W Roberts
Mr P Gerber	The Rev C S Sheehan
Mrs N Gupta	The Rev Z Veron
Mr S Lindemann	The Rev S Willis
Mr D S Marr

The Committee has also co-opted Mr G Crichton.

3. The circular to ministers and churchwardens entitled 'Guidelines for the Remuneration of Parish Ministry Staff for 2005' (the 'Stipends Circular') was published in November last year and provides details of the stipends, allowances and benefits for ministers, assistant ministers and lay ministers in the current calendar year.

Minimum Stipends

4. Stipends are reviewed annually on the recommendation of the Committee. The minimum stipends for 2005, approved by the Standing Committee are -

	% of Minister's Minimum Stipend	Minimum Stipend $ pa
Minister	100	43,726
Assistant Ministers & Lay Ministers First and second year. Third and fourth year. Fifth and subsequent years.	85 90 95	37,167 39,353 41,540

5. The minimum stipend for a minister for the current year represents a 6.3% increase over the applicable figure for 2004. In November 2004 the Standing Committee accepted the Committeeês recommendation that the minimum stipend should be increased to a figure equal to 80% of the latest Average Weekly Earnings published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Remuneration Packaging

6. Under these arrangements a minister may sacrifice up to 30% of their stipend to be paid into a ministerial expense account (AMEA@). Certain expenditure can be reimbursed to the minister from the MEA. Benefits received in this way are exempt from fringe benefits tax and income tax.

Superannuation Contributions

7. Contributions on account of superannuation for ministers and assistant ministers are provided by the parish ministry and property allocations through the Synod Appropriations and Allocations Ordinance. Superannuation for lay ministers is a separate charge. The annual contributions for 2005 are -

 

	Supeannuation Contribution $ pa
Minister	7,443
Assistant Ministers and Lay Ministers with 7 or more years experience	7,443
Other Assistant Ministers and Lay Ministers	6,698

Travelling Allowances/Benefits

8. On the recommendation of the Committee, the diocesan scale for the travelling allowance to be paid to ministers, assistant ministers and lay ministers for 2005 continues to be calculated in accordance with the following scale -

A fixed component of $7,457 per annum to cover depreciation, registration, insurance etc plus a reimbursement at the rate of $145 for every 1,000 kilometres travelled by the person concerned on behalf of the church or organisation which he or she serves.

9. Travel benefits may be provided through an MEA in lieu of a travel allowance in accordance with the guidelines published in the Stipends Circular.

Remuneration for Occasional Services

10. The recommended rates for clergy who take occasional services in 2005 are -

	$
For 1 service	70
For 2 or more services in a half day	90
For a whole day	140

11. The following guidelines also apply in relation to remuneration for occasional services -

1. If the total return journey of the person taking the occasional service is 75 kilometres or less, a travelling allowance of 65 cents per kilometre should be paid. If further kilometres are travelled, the travel allowance should be negotiated.
2. Meals should be provided where necessary.
3. As pension benefits may be reduced according to other income received, the recommended rates are open to negotiation.
4. Where a minister is invited to take, or assist in, services in a church outside their parochial unit, any payment for services should be made to the parochial unit to which the minister is licensed, rather than to the minister.

Acting Ministers and Locum Tenens

 

12. The recommended daily rate for remuneration of acting ministers and locum tenens is $140 for 2005. In addition, an adequate amount to reimburse for travelling costs should be paid.

Part-Time Pastoral Workers

13. The Standing Committee has approved the following principles which apply for part-time workers who are remunerated for their services -

1. Subject to any relevant award, the worker should be paid at the rate of $140 per day.
2. The worker should be paid a travelling allowance at the rate of 65 cents per kilometre for kilometres travelled in performing their duties.
3. Other allowances, such as housing, should be provided in appropriate circumstances.
4. Workers compensation insurance cover must be arranged by the parish.

Male and Female Student Ministers

14. The recommended assistance for student ministers for 2005 is -

	$ pa
Full day only	5,466
If a student minister works more than 1 full day then the rate payable is pro-rata the full day rate.

15. The following guidelines also apply in relation to the remuneration of student ministers -

1. Transport costs (whether private vehicle or public) should be paid by the parochial unit. Where extensive travel is involved consideration should be given to paying for the travel time.
2. Where a student minister serves for a half day in addition to a full day, account should be taken of the additional time and cost in travelling and care taken to ensure that the student minister is not disadvantaged by the additional expense.
3. Arrangements should be made to ensure student ministers are provided with appropriate hospitality. For example, appropriate breaks should be provided especially in a long working day.
4. Preparation time adds to the total time incurred in service for the parochial unit and should be allowed for when the amount of payment is considered.
5. Superannuation contributions are payable if the remuneration exceeds $450 per month.
6. By arrangement with the student minister the parish may agree to pay college fees (tuition, boarding, etc) on behalf of the student minister in lieu of part of the normal remuneration. If such fees are paid they should be considered an exempt fringe benefit provided -
   1. the student is a ministry candidate, and/or holds the Archbishopês licence, or is an independent candidate undertaking the same course of study as required for a ministry candidate, and
   2. the benefit is only applied to paying fees and the provision of accommodation/board.

For and on behalf of the Stipends and Allowances Committee

MARTIN THEARLE
Secretary

17 August 2005