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1997 Determination

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NEW SOUTH WALES
REPORT
AND
DETERMINATION

under the
PARLIAMENTARY REMUNERATION ACT 1989
12 May 1997

The Honourable the Chief Justice
of New South Wales
Chief Justice's Chambers
Supreme Court of New South Wales
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Chief Justice

The Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal has the honour to present to you, pursuant to
section 13( 1) of the Parliamentary Remuneration Act 1989, the Report of its Determination to
be effective for the year commencing on 1 July 1997.

With my respects

(Mr Justice) BRIAN SULLY
THE PARLIAMENTARY REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL

PARLIAMENTARY REMUNERATION ACT 1989
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13( 1) OF THE ACT

PRELIMINARY

1. The Parliamentary Remuneration Act 1989 (" the Act"), which was assented to on 12 December 1989, constituted the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal. The Act, inter alia, provides for the basic salaries of members of Parliament to bear a fixed relationship to those of members of the House of Representatives in the Commonwealth Parliament and for certain prescribed additional salaries and expense allowances to be at rates bearing a fixed percentage to the rate of basic salary. Pursuant to section 9( a) of the Act, the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal determines additional allowances to be payable to a member or recognised office holder and, pursuant to section 9( b) of the Act, makes recommendations to the Minister on matters referred to it by the Minister, relating to the provision of services, equipment or facilities to a member or recognised office holder.

2. Pursuant to Schedule 2 of the Parliamentary Remuneration Act 1989, I, THE HONOURABLE BRIAN SULLY, a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales was appointed, for a term of three years dating from the 14th day of February 1997, by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales to be the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal.

3. The Parliamentary Remuneration Act 1989, provides for the making by the Tribunal of an annual determination of the additional allowances payable to recognised office holders and members of Parliament, to take effect from 1 July of each year.

4. Specifically, section 11 of the Act provides -

"(1) An annual determination as regards additional allowances is to be made on or before 1 June in each year (or such later date as the Chief Justice directs under this section), with effect from 1 July in that year.

(2) The Chief Justice may, because of the illness of the person holding office as the Tribunal or for any other reason that seems proper to the Chief Justice, from time to time by order published in the Gazette, direct that a particular annual determination is to be made on or before a later specified date.

(3) If an annual determination is not made by 1 July in a year, additional allowances continue to be payable at the rates at which they were payable before that date, until payment of additional allowances can be effected in accordance with the determination, but any necessary adjustments are to be made as a result of the making of the determination".

PROCEDURE

5. On 26 February 1997 the Tribunal sent letters to members of the Legislative Council and of the Legislative Assembly inviting them to forward to it such written submissions as they might wish to make in relation to the additional allowances which should be paid to recognised office holders and members and the rates of any such allowances. The letters also stated that the Tribunal was prepared to interview any member who had made a written submission and wished to confer with it for the purpose of elucidating or elaborating such submission. They concluded with the statement that submissions and conferences would be treated confidentially and that any material used in the report and determination would not be identified with its author.

6. In response to the abovementioned letters, the Tribunal received written submissions from the Parties and members of both Houses. All submissions have been carefully considered by the Tribunal. The Tribunal would like to express its thanks to those who made submissions whether oral or in writing.

7. The Tribunal has made such other inquiries as it considered necessary. It has noted the relevant reports of the Australian Remuneration Tribunal and other State/ Territory remuneration tribunals.

8. The Tribunal has been informed of changes in the costs incurred by members in the performance of their parliamentary duties since the last review.

9. Because the present report is the first report of the Tribunal as now constituted and because of the time constraints necessarily deriving from section 11 of the Act, the Tribunal wishes to draw attention to the following considerations:

(a) For the purposes of the present report the Tribunal has followed current, and long-established methodology; but it appears to the Tribunal that the current methodology for the fixing of allowances as contemplated by section 9( a) of the Act, has about it an air of artificiality in two particular respects.

First, the actual definition in terms of general principles of what should qualify for consideration as a section 9( a) allowance is, in the opinion of the present Tribunal, somewhat ambiguous, save only for the few indicative examples given in section 9( a) itself.

Secondly, the way in which an attempt is made to quantify relevant movements in costs respecting any allowance which has been accepted in principle as an appropriate section 9( a) allowance, seems to require, and it seems certainly to encourage, arguments about matters of minute detail, where, so to speak, it is easy to lose sight of the wood for the trees.

(b) The Tribunal acknowledges that the established methodology should not be disturbed in any substantive way before proper consideration has been given to what better alternative( s), if any, can be devised. Proper public accountability; necessary public financial constraints; the practicalities from the point of view of members themselves and of the relevant administrative officials, are some significant matters that can be recognised readily as requiring prudent evaluation before any substantive procedural changes are made.

(c) The Tribunal itself is, as at present advised, open-minded about the foregoing matters; but it is concerned about them, and draws attention to them accordingly. To the end of informing itself properly about what, if anything, should be done about the foregoing matters, the Tribunal proposes, in connection with the 1998 review pursuant to section 9( a), to specifically examine these issues and will be seeking comment from the Minister and members.

ELECTORAL ALLOWANCES OF MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES

10. The Tribunal has reviewed the costs incurred by members in servicing their electorates and has increased rates of allowances accordingly.

SPECIAL EXPENSES OR "LIVING AWAY FROM HOME" ALLOWANCES

11. These allowances are provided to country members of both Houses towards the cost of overnight accommodation and incidental expenses whilst in Sydney on parliamentary business or in transit to and from Sydney.

12. The Tribunal's Report and Determination of 26 May 1993 determined that members can elect, each year, how they wish to be paid this allowance subject to certain conditions. The Tribunal's Determination of 31 May 1995, while retaining the overall allocation for Members for category 1 and 2 electorates and recognised office holders increased the number of overnight stays for other parliamentary business to 35 per annum. The overall allocation, together with the allocation to the office holders in Category 2 electorates allocated 50 nights for other parliamentary business, remained unchanged.

13. Some members considered that the number of days allocated for 'other parliamentary business' should be increased as should the per diem amount. The Tribunal's attention was also drawn to some procedural problems related to the payment of the daily rate of this allowance.

14. The Tribunal has examined these matters carefully. The oral submissions made to the Tribunal repeatedly drew attention to an alleged inadequacy related not exclusively but significantly to the increased demands of parliamentary committee work in the current maximum number of allowable days. The Tribunal does not feel sufficiently informed about the relevant detail of any such increased workload and so proposes to make no particular adjustments in the present review. The Tribunal is however mindful of the fact that the current number of allowable days was set in 1991 and the Tribunal when calling for submissions for the 1998 review will invite the provision of relevant detail of the suggested increase since 1991 in committee or other parliamentary sitting days.

15. On the issue of additional days for 'other parliamentary business' the Tribunal notes that these were increased in the 1995 review. The issue of what would be an appropriate number of days for 'other parliamentary business' depends very munch on the activities envisaged to be covered under this heading. Former Tribunals have left the definition sufficiently broad to permit flexibility in interpretation as well as accommodating the various circumstances of members.

16. While the Tribunal does not consider that the number of days allocated for 'other parliamentary business' should be altered on this occasion it will, as part of the 1998 review, examine more closely whether the definition of 'other parliamentary business' should be more clearly defined and will also be seeking comments from members on this matter.

17. In respect of the procedural problems faced by members the Tribunal considers that they are more appropriately resolved between the member and the legislature.

18. In the Auditor-General's Annual Report for 1995 (Volume 2, pp 21-26) he expressed concern that in some circumstances a member may receive the Special Expenses (Living Away from Home) Allowance whilst having access to Government owned living quarters attached or adjacent to his/ her office.

19. The Tribunal has reviewed this matter and considers that a member who claims and is paid this allowance must certify that he/ she has not so claimed and been paid in respect of any night or nights during which he/ she has been accommodated free of charge in government owned and funded overnight accommodation. Any member who has been so accommodated free of charge is required to make an appropriate, proportionate refund to the legislature.

20. The Tribunal has increased the daily Special Expenses Allowance per overnight stay in Sydney and in transit to and from Sydney as well as the annual Special Expenses Allowance.

COMMITTEE ALLOWANCES

21. The allowances fixed for Chairpersons of Joint or Select Committees and for members of the Public Accounts Committee have been increased by approximately two per cent. In determining this rate of increase the Tribunal has maintained the long-established nexus with increases in Members salaries.

TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES FOR THE PREMIER, MINISTERS OF THE CROWN, OTHER RECOGNISED OFFICE HOLDERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SPOUSES OR APPROVED RELATIVES

22. These have been increased to reflect the general changes in the costs covered by the allowances.

CHARTER TRAVEL

23. A survey conducted during the current review revealed that there had been no significant increase to charter costs in the past twelve months. The review currently being conducted by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommends the simultaneous deregulation of air services in 1999. While these changes can be expected to have an impact on the cost of such services in the future, the data available to the Tribunal suggests that the current service rates are generally stable. Having regard to these facts the quantum of the charter allowance has not been increased at this time.

REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN TRAVELLING EXPENSES

24. Provision is made for payment of a car allowance to those members of the Legislative Council who reside in the country and at a considerable distance from the closest airport or railway station from which they can obtain transport to and from Sydney, thus requiring the use of their private motor vehicles between their homes and the airport or railway station. Following its inquiries, the Tribunal has determined that the car allowance should be increased in line with movements across the public sector.

OTHER MATTERS CONSIDERED BY THE TRIBUNAL

25. Some of the submissions received from members relate to other matters which have either been raised before or are new matters. The Tribunal has examined these and has provided a report hereunder.

a) Provision of Government Owned Motor Vehicles for Members

On 26 July 1990 the Tribunal made a Report and Determination on the provision of Government-owned motor vehicles to members of the Legislative Council and members of the Legislative Assembly for use in the servicing of their electorates and on other parliamentary business. Due to legislative impediments the Tribunal's Determination has hitherto not been adopted.

This matter continues to be raised by members and the Tribunal has, since its original Determination on the topic, regularly reaffirmed its support for the introduction of this scheme. The Tribunal again considers that this matter should be investigated with a view to members being provided with private plated motor vehicles under a scheme similar to that available to the Senior Executive Service and the Judiciary.

Should the Minister consider it appropriate to do so, he would need to direct the Tribunal to undertake a new inquiry into this matter, so as to ensure that all recent developments are considered properly, particularly since seven years have elapsed since the initial report and Determination were prepared.

b) Other Matters

(i) The Tribunal received submissions seeking a review of the current grouping of electorates. The last review of electorate groupings followed the 1991 redistribution of electorates. The Tribunal is advised that a redistribution of electorates will shortly be undertaken by the Electoral Commissioner. The Tribunal considers that it will be appropriate to review electorate groupings following that redistribution. (ii) The Tribunal also received submissions seeking the payment of allowances to Shadow Ministers. As on previous occasions when such requests have been made, the Tribunal does not intend to introduce such allowances at this time.

The Tribunal adopts the position that it would be inappropriate for it to recognise Shadow Ministers for the purposes of additional allowances when the Parliament does not recognise Shadow Ministers as 'recognised office holders' under the Parliamentary Remuneration Act 1989. The status of Shadow Ministers, for the purposes of the Act, ultimately rests with Parliament.

(iii) Submissions were also received on various other matters that the Tribunal considered outside the scope of a section 9( a) review. Some of these matters include: improved accommodation and travel warrants/ passes for members. The Tribunal sees these matters as beyond its statutory power unless there is an appropriate section 9( b) reference.

(iv) Some members raised matters which are beyond the jurisdiction of the Tribunal. Some of these matters include: salary of office and expense allowance for certain office holders.

PARLIAMENTARY REMUNERATION ACT 1989

DETERMINATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 11(1) OF THE ACT

For the reasons set forth in the above Report, the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal hereby makes the following determination of the additional allowances which should be paid on and from 1 July, 1997 to members, including recognised office holders, in the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, in lieu of the amounts presently payable, for each of the purposes indicated below, and not in addition thereto:

ELECTORAL ALLOWANCES FOR MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES

(1) The electoral allowances payable to members of the Legislative Assembly whose electoral districts are specified hereunder shall be as follows:

Electoral DistrictsYearly	Rate of Allowance
	$
Group 1	24,400
Group 2	29,200
Group 3	34,200
Group 4	40,300
Group 5	44,000
Group 6	46,800
Group 7	51,300
Broken Hill	60,000

The electoral districts included in each Group are as determined in the Tribunal's Special Determination of 29 May 1991, under section 12 of the Parliamentary Remuneration Act 1989, and are set out in Appendix A.

(2) The electoral allowance payable to each member of the Legislative Council shall be $34,200 per annum.

SPECIAL EXPENSES OR "LIVING AWAY FROM HOME" ALLOWANCES

Special Expenses Allowances or "Living Away From Home" Allowances are provided to country members of both Houses towards the cost of overnight accommodation and incidental expenses whilst in Sydney on parliamentary business or in transit to and from Sydney.

The member may elect to be paid either a daily or annual Special Expenses Allowance on a financial year basis. This election is subject to the following conditions:

election is made for a full financial year;

such election to be received by the Accounts Section prior to 1 July;

newly-elected members to make their election from the date of their election until the end of the financial year;

re-elected members would not be eligible to change their election until the end of the current financial year;

a member who claims and is paid this allowance must certify that he/she has not so claimed and been paid in respect of any night or nights during which he/she has been accommodated free of charge in government owned and funded overnight accommodation. Any member who has been so accommodated free of charge is required to make an appropriate, proportionate refund to the legislature.

A Special Expenses Allowance or "Living Away From Home" Allowance shall be payable to country members for the cost of overnight accommodation whilst in Sydney on parliamentary business or while in transit to and from Sydney. The Allowance is payable when the stay is occasioned by:

i) sittings of the House of Parliament or direct travel to and from such sittings; or

ii) meetings of parliamentary committees of which he or she is a member, or direct travel to or from such meetings; or

iii) other parliamentary business.

SPECIAL EXPENSES ALLOWANCE: DAILY ALLOWANCE

The daily Special Expenses Allowance or "Living Away From Home" Allowance per overnight stay is as follows:

	IN SYDNEY $	IN TRANSIT TO And FROM SYDNEY $
Ministers resident in Category 1 or 2.	147.00	114.00
The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, resident in Category 1 or 2.	147.00	114.00
The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, resident in Category 1 or 2.	147.00	114.00
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, resident in Category 1 or 2.	147.00	114.00
Leader in the Legislative Assembly (other than the Leader of the Opposition) of a recognised political party of which not less than ten members are members of the Legislative Assembly, resident in Category 1 or 2.	147.00	114.00
Chairman of Committees in the Legislative Assembly, resident in Category 1 or 2.	147.00	114.00
Members of the Legislative Council and members of the Legislative Assembly resident in Category 1 or 2.	147.00	114.00

The maximum number of overnight stays per annum is as follows:

	RESIDENCE	OVERNIGHT STAYS p.a.
Minister, Speaker, Leader of the Opposition (Assembly and Council), Leader of Third Party in Assembly.	Category 1 or 2	140
Chairman of Committees in the Legislative Assembly.	Category 1 or 2	120 (35)
Parliamentary Secretary	Category 1	90 (35)
	Category 2	120 (50)
Other Assembly Members	Category 1	90 (35)
	Category 2	120 (35)
Other Council Members	Category 1	90 (35)
	Category 2	120 (35)

* The figures in brackets indicate the maximum number of overnight stays that are available on parliamentary business other than sittings of the House or meetings of parliamentary committees. The figures in brackets are not additional to the overall maximum overnight stays allowed.

SPECIAL EXPENSES ALLOWANCE: ANNUAL ALLOWANCE

The annual Special Expenses Allowances or "Living Away From Home" Allowances per overnight stay are as follows:

(1) $20,580 per annum to :

Each Minister of the Crown who is a member of the Legislative Council and whose usual place of residence is situated in an electorate specified in Category 1 or Category 2. Each Minister of the Crown who is a member of the Legislative Assembly and is the member for, or whose usual place of residence is situated in an electoral district specified in Category 1 or Category 2.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council whose usual place of residence is situated in an electoral district specified in Category 1 or Category 2.

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, being the Member for an electoral district specified in Category 1 or Category 2.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, being the Member for an electoral district in Category 1 or Category 2.

The Leader in the Legislative Assembly (other than the Leader of the Opposition) of a recognised political party of which not less than ten members of the Legislative Assembly and of which no member is the holder of any office of profit pursuant to section 13B of the Constitution Act 1902, being the member for an electoral district specified in Category 1 or Category 2.

(2) $17,640 per annum to :

The chairman of Committees in the Legislative Assembly, being the member for an electoral district specified in Category 1 or Category 2.

Each member of the Legislative Council whose usual place of residence is situated in an electoral district specified in Category 2 and to each member of the Legislative Assembly for an electoral district specified in Category 2.

(3) $13,230 per annum to:

Each member of the Legislative Council whose usual place of residence is situated in an electoral district specified in Category 1 and to each member of the Legislative Assembly for an electoral district specified in Category 1.

A member is entitled to only one allowance under paragraphs (1) to (3).

The electoral districts included in each category, are as determined in the Tribunal's Determination of 29 May 1991, under section 12 of the Parliamentary Remuneration Act 1989, and are set forth in Appendix B.

COMMITTEE ALLOWANCES

Members of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly serving as Chairpersons of Joint Committees shall be paid the sum of $110.00 for each day upon which they attend a meeting or an official visit of inspection if that day is one upon which the Legislative Council (so far as a member of the Council is concerned) or the Legislative Assembly (so far as a Member of the Assembly is concerned) is not sitting. Members of the Public Accounts Committee, other than the Chairperson, shall each receive a committee allowance of $2,490 per annum.

TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES FOR THE PREMIER, MINISTERS OF THE CROWN, OTHER RECOGNISED OFFICE HOLDERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SPOUSES OR APPROVED RELATIVES

(a) When travelling on official business the following shall be the travelling allowances per day payable respectively to the undermentioned:

CLASSIFICATION	CAPITAL CITIES (incl. Canberra)	OTHER AREAS	WHERE NO OVERNIGHT STAY IS REQUIRED
Premier	$337	$186	$84
Ministers	$271	$154	$68
President of the Legislative Council and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly	$271	$154	$68
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council	$271	$154	$68
Leader and Deputy-Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly	$271	$154	$68
Leader and Deputy Leader of a Recognised Political Party of which not less than ten members are Members of the Legislative Assembly	$271	$154	$68
Chairman of Select, Joint Standing and Public Accounts Committees	$271	$154	$68
Members of Select, Joint and Public Accounts Committees	$203	$127	$49

An absence from Sydney for a period in excess of six hours shall be the minimum requirement for the payment of travelling allowance where no overnight absence is involved. Where absence overnight is involved, the absence must extend six hours beyond the first period of twenty-four hours before a second day's allowance is payable. Therefore, the second day's allowance is as shown in the column headed "Where no overnight stay is involved".

On occasions when the rates of travelling allowance set out above prove to be insufficient, reimbursement of actual and reasonable expenses shall be allowed, subject to the production of receipts relating to accommodation and a statement from the member concerned outlining other costs such as meals and incidental expenses.

A Minister, whose spouse accompanies him or her to a State or other official function and who consequently incurs expenses in respect of meals and accommodation for self and spouse exceeding the allowance to which he or she is entitled as indicated above, shall be entitled to be reimbursed such excess expenses. This provision applies to the "approved relative" of a Minister in a case where there is no spouse.

REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES FOR CHARTER TRANSPORT OF MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

For the purposes of this clause "charter transport" means charter transport used within and for the service of the member's electorate and includes charter aircraft, drive yourself vehicles and any other mode of charter transport which may be deemed appropriate in the circumstances by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

Each accounting year for the purposes of the reimbursement of expenses for charter transport shall commence on 1 July; and

(1) The member for the Electoral District of Broken Hill shall be reimbursed to a maximum amount of $16,092 per annum for charter transport.

(2) The member for the Electoral District of Murray shall be reimbursed to a maximum amount of $12,404 per annum for charter transport.

(3) The members for the Electoral Districts of Barwon, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Upper Hunter shall each be reimbursed to a maximum amount of $8,716 per annum for charter transport.

(4) The members for the Electoral Districts of Albury, Burrinjuck, Clarence, Dubbo, Monaro and Northern Tablelands shall each be reimbursed to a maximum amount of $5,362 per annum for charter transport.

While charter transport, reimbursable under this determination, is intended to be used within and for the service of the member's electorate, where the source of available charter transport is outside the boundaries of the electorate, the reasonable additional expenses consequently incurred may be included in the reimbursement available under this determination.

REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN TRAVELLING EXPENSES

(1)

(b) A member of the Legislative Council or of the Legislative Assembly shall be entitled to be reimbursed the actual cost of the fare incurred on up to thirty-five taxi journeys per annum when travelling in the course of other parliamentary business between Sydney Airport and the city.

(2)

This allowance is also payable in respect of other journeys between the member's residence and Sydney on parliamentary business, but excluding party business, provided that, in the case of air travel, the fare is payable by the Government under the air travel entitlement provisions for journeys between the member's residence and Sydney.

These allowances are payable upon the following conditions:

(i) that the member satisfies the President of the Legislative Council as to the existence of the circumstances mentioned above; and

(ii) that the member certifies to the President as to the distance driven by her or him to reach the airport or railway station and return home therefrom.

Dated this 12th day of May 1997.

(Mr Justice) BRIAN SULLY

THE PARLIAMENTARY REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL

APPENDIX A

ELECTORAL DISTRICTS

AS DETERMINED IN THE TRIBUNAL'S DETERMINATION OF 29 MAY, 1991

UNDER SECTION 12 OF THE PARLIAMENTARY REMUNERATION ACT 1989

Group 1
Ashfield	North Shore
Bligh	Port Jackson
Coogee	Vaucluse
Marrickville

Group 2
Auburn	Lakemba
Bankstown	Lane Cove
Baulkham Hills	Liverpool
Blacktown	Manly
Cabramatta	Maroubra
Campbelltown	Miranda
Canterbury	Moorebank
Cronulla	Mount Druitt
Davidson	Northcott
Drummoyne	Parramatta
East Hills	Penrith
Eastwood	Pittwater
Ermington	Riverstone
Fairfield	Rockdale
Georges River	Smithfield
Gladesville	St Marys
Gordon	Strathfield
Granville	Sutherland
Heffron	The Hills
Hurstville	Wakehurst
Kogarah	Willoughby
Ku-ring-gai

Group 3
Badgerys Creek	Londonderry
Blue Mountains	Newcastle
Bulli	Peats
Camden	Swansea
Charlestown	The Entrance
Gosford	Wallsend
Illawarra	Waratah
Keira	Wollongong
Kiama	Wyong
Lake Macquarie

Group 4
Ballina	Murwillumbah
Cessnock	Myall Lakes
Coffs Harbour	Port Macquarie
Hawkesbury	Port Stephens
Lismore	South Coast
Maitland	Southern Highlands

Group 5
Bathurst	Oxley
Bega	Tamworth
Orange	Wagga Wagga

Group 6
Albury	Dubbo
Burrinjuck	Monaro
Clarence	Northern Tablelands

Group 7
Barwon	Murrumbidgee
Lachlan	Upper Hunter
Murray

Special Group
Broken Hill

APPENDIX B

ELECTORAL DISTRICTS INCLUDED IN EACH CATEGORY

AS DETERMINED IN THE TRIBUNAL'S DETERMINATION OF 29 MAY 1991

UNDER SECTION 12 OF THE PARLIAMENTARY REMUNERATION ACT 1989.

Category 1
Badgerys Creek	Londonderry
Blue Mountains	Newcastle
Bulli	Peats
Camden	Southern Highlands
Charlestown	Swansea
Gosford	The Entrance
Hawkesbury	Wallsend
Illawarra	Waratah
Keira	Wollongong
Kiama	Wyong
Lake Macquarie

Category 2
Albury	Monaro
Ballina	Murray
Barwon	Murrumbidgee
Bathurst	Murwillumbah
Bega	Myall Lakes
Broken Hill	Northern Tablelands
Burrinjuck	Orange
Cessnock	Oxley
Clarence	Port Macquarie
Coffs Harbour	Port Stephens
Dubbo	South Coast
Lachlan	Tamworth
Lismore	Upper Hunter
Maitland	Wagga Wagga