- Reports
- General Synod Domestic Travel Policy for travel on or after January 1, 2011
General Synod Domestic Travel Policy.
As approved by the General Synod Standing Committee, November 2010.
Applicable for travel on or after January 1, 2011.
Preamble
The Domestic Travel Policy of the General Synod must balance the travel requirements of the volunteer committee Members with financial prudence. The Policy must acknowledge and respect the contributions made by Members whilst prudently managing expenditure.
Basic Principles.
· A Member will not be reimbursed for travel or accommodation costs for meetings attended in their own town or city.
· The preferred process of organising air travel is via the General Synod’s travel partner, Corporate Traveller. This will allow for greater options in fares and to coordinate Members flying from different centres to arrive together at their destination to share taxi costs.
· All references to Air Travel in this policy refer to economy class air travel.
· Reimbursement of accommodation and travel costs (with the exception of Motor Vehicle travel) will require a tax invoice.
· Reimbursement of Motor Vehicle travel will require a declaration by the Member.
· Chairmen of Committees, Task Forces, Commissions and Working groups are encouraged to organise meetings via Teleconference where possible.
Travel
A) Air Travel.
In respect of Members’ time Air Travel is the preferred option for travel for distances greater than 250 kilometres.
Air Travel costs reimbursements will be capped at a rate equivalent to the ‘best fare’ across all airlines for the travel times of the Member as calculated by Corporate Traveller.
B) Motor Vehicle Travel.
Motor vehicle travel costs will be reimbursed at the rate established from time to time by the Australian Tax Office for vehicles with ordinary engines with a capacity of 1,600 cc or less. At October 2010 that rate is $0.63 per kilometre.
The overall Motor Vehicle Travel reimbursement will be capped at the ‘best fare’ available for equivalent flights.
C) Intercity Train, Intercity Coach and Inter-island Ferry Travel.
When a Member is required to travel by Intercity Train, Intercity Coach or Inter-island Ferry to attend a meeting the full cost of the ticket shall be reimbursed.
D) Transfers to & from Airports.
Members are encouraged to take the most cost effective and time effective transport choices between airports and meetings. This may be public transport, taxi or rental car. Members will be reimbursed the full cost of transfers and are encouraged, if travelling by taxi or rental car, to travel with other Members.
Accommodation.
Accommodation costs will be reimbursed when the Member has a clear need to be away from home overnight. This may be due to:
a) A meeting that takes place over several days,
b) A meeting that commences at a time that would make it impractical for the Member to arrive on the day of the meeting,
c) A meeting that is expected to conclude at a time that would make it impractical for the Member to travel home on the day of the meeting,
d) Travel connections for the Member leaving no other viable alternative.
Recognising that accommodation costs vary in different places the rate of reimbursement will be capped at the rate established from time to time by the Australian Tax Office as Reasonable Amounts for Domestic Travel Allowance Expenses Tables 1 - 5.
For Capital Cities for 2011/2012 that rate per night is:
| Place | Rate ($) |
| Adelaide | 157 |
| Brisbane | 201 |
| Canberra | 165 |
| Darwin | 189 |
| Hobart | 125 |
| Melbourne | 173 |
| Perth | 176 |
| Sydney | 183 |
| High Cost Country centre | See table 4 |
| Tier 2 Country centre (see Table 5) | 120 |
| Other Country centre | 100 |
(Source: Table 1 from ATO webpage: http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?docid=TXD/TD201117/NAT/ATO/00001 )
The rates for other centres is included in Appendix 1.
Meals.
Members shall be reimbursed for meals up to a value of $60 per day.
Changes in Rates.
Any changes in rates will be published on the website www.anglican.org.au and will apply from the first day of the following year.
Discretion.
The General Secretary or the Business Manager may show discretion in the application of this Policy. All such occasions shall be reported to the next ordinary meeting of the General Synod Standing Committee.
APPENDIX 1
Table 4: High cost country centres - accommodation expenses | |||
Country centre | $ | Country centre | $ |
| Ballarat (VIC) | 127.00 | Kalgoorlie (WA) | 169.50 |
| Bendigo (VIC) | 122.00 | Karratha (WA) | 285.00 |
| Broome (WA) | 222.50 | Katherine (NT) | 120.50 |
| Bunbury (WA) | 129.00 | Kununurra (WA) | 182.00 |
| Burnie (TAS) | 125.00 | Launceston (TAS) | 126.50 |
| Cairns (QLD) | 127.00 | Mackay (QLD) | 153.00 |
| Carnarvon (WA) | 151.00 | Maitland (NSW) | 131.50 |
| Christmas Island (WA) | 150.00 | Mount Isa (QLD) | 158.50 |
| Dalby (QLD) | 133.50 | Newcastle (NSW) | 142.50 |
| Dampier (WA) | 174.50 | Newman (WA) | 195.00 |
| Derby (WA) | 181.50 | Norfolk Island | 189.50 |
| Devonport (TAS) | 128.50 | Port Hedland (WA) | 270.00 |
| Echuca (VIC) | 122.50 | Port Pirie (SA) | 135.00 |
| Exmouth (WA) | 194.00 | Thursday Island (QLD) | 180.00 |
| Geelong (VIC) | 131.00 | Townsville (QLD) | 134.50 |
| Geraldton (WA) | 146.00 | Weipa (QLD) | 138.00 |
| Gladstone (QLD) | 138.50 | Wilpena Pound (SA) | 144.00 |
| Gold Coast (QLD) | 170.00 | Wollongong (NSW) | 128.00 |
| Halls Creek (WA) | 195.00 | Wonthaggi (VIC) | 122.00 |
| Horn Island (QLD) | 169.00 | Yulara (NT) | 340.00 |
| Jabiru (NT) | 198.00 | ||
(Source: Table 4 from ATO webpage: http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?docid=TXD/TD201117/NAT/ATO/00001 )
Table 5: Tier 2 country centres | |
Country centre | Country centre |
| Albany (WA) | Kingaroy (QLD) |
| Alice Springs (NT) | Mildura (VIC) |
| Ararat (VIC) | Mount Gambier (SA) |
| Armidale (NSW) | Mudgee (NSW) |
| Bairnsdale (VIC) | Muswellbrook (NSW) |
| Bathurst (NSW) | Naracoorte (SA) |
| Bordertown (SA) | Orange (NSW) |
| Bright (VIC) | Port Augusta (SA) |
| Broken Hill (NSW) | Portland (VIC) |
| Bundaberg (QLD) | Port Lincoln (SA) |
| Castlemaine (VIC) | Port Macquarie (NSW) |
| Ceduna (SA) | Queanbeyan (NSW) |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | Renmark (SA) |
| Coffs Harbour (NSW) | Rockhampton (QLD) |
| Cooma (NSW) | Roma (QLD) |
| Dubbo (NSW) | Seymour (VIC) |
| Emerald (QLD) | Swan Hill (VIC) |
| Esperance (WA) | Tamworth (NSW) |
| Gosford (NSW) | Tennant Creek (NT) |
| Goulburn (NSW) | Toowoomba (QLD) |
| Hamilton (VIC) | Tumut (NSW) |
| Hervey Bay (QLD) | Wagga Wagga (NSW) |
| Horsham (VIC) | Warrnambool (VIC) |
| Innisfail (QLD) | Whyalla (SA |
| Kadina (SA) | |
(Source: Table 5 from ATO webpage: http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?docid=TXD/TD201117/NAT/ATO/00001 )