Petition Review parliamentary pensions and retirement benefits

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that the community expects Ministers of the Crown and other holders of public office to act with integrity, honesty and accountability. Public confidence in government is undermined where elected officials who are convicted of serious corruption offences continue to receive taxpayer-funded parliamentary pension or retirement benefits. Public office is a position of trust and serious breaches of that trust should have appropriate consequences, including the loss of publicly funded benefits where permitted by legislation.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to review the legislation governing parliamentary pensions and retirement benefits and introduce a provision that any Minister or former Minister who is convicted by a court of a serious corruption offence committed in connection with the exercise of public office forfeits any taxpayer-funded parliamentary pension or retirement benefits.