She noted that if every council put in a member's bill like this one that's before the House today, it would unwind the whole process of having an independent decision on remuneration and would undermine the integrity of the Remuneration Authority. Why is it important to have an independent Remuneration Authority? Well, she's outlined its role: it is to set the remuneration of all members of Parliament, all other elected officials including councillors, judges, and other key officeholders, including the Police Commissioner. Its independence is crucial to guarding against rates of pay being subject to political interference, which is an anti-corruption measure that has worked well in keeping New Zealand clean compared to other countries.