▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁base ▁sal ary ; ▁the ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition ▁and ▁Government ▁Minister s ▁an ▁additional ▁ 7 5 ▁percent ; ▁the ▁President ▁and ▁Spe aker ▁an ▁additional ▁ 6 5 ▁percent . ▁ ▁M embers ▁are ▁also ▁entitled ▁to ▁receive ▁various ▁allow ances ▁for ▁travel ▁and ▁work ▁costs . ▁M embers ▁representing ▁non - M el bourne ▁elect or ates ▁are ▁also ▁entitled ▁to ▁a ▁second ▁home ▁allow ance . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁only ▁Minister s ▁and ▁Office ▁hold ers ▁were ▁provided ▁with ▁a ▁sal ary . ▁This ▁in ▁effect ▁meant ▁that ▁members ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁wealth y ▁enough ▁to ▁support ▁themselves ▁before ▁seeking ▁election ▁to ▁Parliament . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Parliament ▁provided ▁for ▁the ▁re imb urs ing ▁of ▁members ▁in ▁relation ▁to ▁their ▁exp enses ▁in ▁att ending ▁Parliament , ▁in ▁effect ▁the ▁first ▁sal ary ▁for ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Parliament . ▁At ▁first ▁passed ▁as ▁temporary ▁measure , ▁it ▁later ▁became ▁permanent . ▁The ▁Act ▁provided ▁for ▁a ▁payment ▁of ▁£ 3 0 0 ▁p . a . ▁to ▁those ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁already ▁receive ▁a ▁sal ary . ▁This ▁value ▁is ▁difficult ▁to ▁place ▁in ▁a ▁modern ▁context , ▁due ▁to ▁Australia ' s ▁conversion ▁to ▁a ▁decimal ▁currency ▁and ▁the ▁smaller ▁economy ▁of ▁the ▁time . ▁This ▁sal ary ▁would ▁equ ate ▁to ▁approximately ▁$ 3 5 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁dollars