Member admin information: PZJA Working Groups, Management Advisory Committees and the Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee

Members of Protected Zone Joint Authority (PZJA) Working Groups (WGs), Management Advisory Committees (MACs) and the Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee are appointed for 3-year periods.

As PZJA advisory committee members, they are appointed by an Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) delegate under section 40 of the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984 (the Act) and PZJA policy Fisheries Management Paper No. 1. 

Rates for daily sitting fees and travel expenses

AFMA is responsible for booking flights and accommodation for industry members, scientific members and the Chair, as well as administering their sitting fees. Flights are booked in accordance with Whole of Australian Government policy, on the best available fare of the day where possible.

Members are eligible to claim a daily sitting fee for attendance at advisory committee meetings, time spent on committee business or travel time.

The current WG, TSSAC and MAC daily sitting fee amounts as guided by the Remuneration determination of Public Offices for Part-time Offices are:

• Chairs – $883 per day
• Members – $662 per day.

Committee members are eligible to claim for time spent attending formal meetings and compulsory activities (for example: training workshops). 

Travel and preparation time

Time for travel and preparation is not covered for WG, TSSAC or MAC members. Chairs, however, are entitled to claim up to 5 hours for preparation time, noting the extra work required of Chairs in preparation for a meeting.

     Meeting Days

1. The amount of a daily fee paid to a member for a meeting day is:
   a)    if the member’s qualifying meeting day time is less than 2 hours— 40% of the daily fee; or
   b)    if the member’s qualifying meeting day time is at least 2 hours and less than 3 hours—60% of the daily fee; or
   c)    otherwise—100% of the daily fee.

2. For the purposes of subsection (1), qualifying meeting day time is time that a member spends on meeting day:
   a)    attending a formal meeting; or
   b)    on committee business; or
   c)    on official travel time.

    

   Non-meeting days

3. The amount of a daily fee paid to a member for a non-meeting day is 20% of the daily fee for each hour, to a maximum of 5 hours per day, that the member spends:
   a)    on committee business; or
   b)    on official travel time.

Members are also entitled to be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses incurred for out-of-pocket expenses such as meals, incidentals, taxis, mileage or parking not covered by AFMA – see the relevant Australian Taxation Office Tax Determination as a guide to what are considered reasonable expenses. 

Please note: AFMA has a strict policy prohibiting the purchase of alcohol using AFMA funds.

Reasonable expense guidance

_{Source: Tax Determination TD 2025/4}

Flights, accommodation, travel expenses and remuneration for Traditional Inhabitant members are facilitated by the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA). Traditional Inhabitant members are encouraged to contact the TSRA to confirm these arrangements.

Making a claim: Working Group, MAC and TSSAC members

Claims for sitting fees and expenses must be submitted within 14 business days of the meeting you are claiming for. 

You can submit your claim via a personal invoice or by using one of the templates provided below. The invoice must detail the allowable expenses, sitting fees and relevant receipts for all expenses being claimed. Please submit this to your committee’s Executive Officer. 

The claim form you submit will depend on if you have an ABN and are registered for GST or not:

• PZJA Advisory Committee claim form – NOT GST REGISTERED (DOCX)
• PZJA Advisory Committee claim form – REGISTERED FOR GST (DOCX)

New Working Group, MAC and TSSAC members

All new Working Group, MAC and TSSAC members must complete and return the following forms to their relevant Executive Officer:

• AFMA Vendor creation form (PDF)
• ATO Statement by supplier form – ONLY complete this form if you or your business does not have an ABN and is not registered for GST. If you do not have an ABN and are not registered for GST, and you do not complete this form, AFMA is required to withhold 46.5% of your sitting fee. This form can only be obtained from the Australian Taxation Office or most news agencies.