13783 (2026). Camilla Belich to the Minister of Customs

13783 (2026). Camilla Belich to the Minister of Customs: What fee increases have been proposed or approved since 27 November 2023 for any chair, deputy chair, member, presiding member, or other appointed role on any Crown entity board, committee, authority, tribunal, or other statutory body within their ministerial portfolio, broken down by (a) the name of the entity and the specific role; (b) the fee (annual, daily, or per-meeting rate as applicable) immediately prior to the increase and the date that fee was last set; (c) the new approved fee and the effective date of the increase; (d) the percentage increase; (e) whether the increase was approved by them as the responsible minister or referred to the Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee, and if the latter, the date of that approval; (f) whether the increase was made pursuant to the Cabinet Fees Framework changes of July 2025 or on another basis; (g) the primary justification recorded for the increase; (h) whether the proposed increase was approved, declined, or scaled back, and if declined or scaled back, the reasons recorded for that decision; (i) whether any part of the increase was applied backdated and if so to what date; (j) the total annual cost to the Crown of all increases approved within their portfolio; and (k) whether each review was initiated by them as the responsible minister, the entity itself, or the Public Service Commission?

Hon Casey Costello: I am advised that, since 27 November 2023, Customs has increased the fees paid to the chair and members of their Assurance and Risk Committee. I refer the Member to the attached appendix, which sets out the daily fees before and after 1 September 2025, when the increase was implemented, along with the percentage increase. The fee increases were primarily made due to, and in accordance with, the changes to the Cabinet Fees Framework in Cabinet Office circular CO (25) 2 and were initiated by Customs. The increases were not required to be approved by myself as Minister of Customs or go to the Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee. At the Comptroller of Customs’ direction, the proposed increase was scaled from the 30 percent increase allowed by the Circular to 10 percent. The annual cost to the Crown of the fee increase for the Customs Assurance and Risk Committee will vary depending on the composition of the Committee. For the year ending 1 September 2026, it will be $1,405. The increase was not backdated.