Money

[Yenn]

I was given $1000 today.

 

 

[rankamateur]

And...?

 

 

[rankamateur]

Sounds like Kevin 07 is back in power!

 

 

[bexrbetter]

I was given $1000 today.

You could be a millionaire in Botswana, just saying.

 

 

[rgmwa]

I'm all for sharing.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[Marty_d]

I'm still waiting for the punch line.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Waiting, waiting.....

 

 

[facthunter]

Follow the money trail when investigating corruption. WE know where you are, Yenn. Nev

 

 

[bexrbetter]

I was given $1000 today.

Didn't even know you were a Politician let alone have Chinese business Mates.

 

 

[onetrack]

Nobody ever gets given money. You gotta sell something, or do something to earn it. What did you sell, or what kind of work (I use the word loosely ), do you have to do?

 

 

[Cosmick]

Love playing Monopoly

 

 

[Yenn]

Bex. You got it. Only a politician would expect to be given money.

 

Just my way of commenting on what our pollies believe in. They think they are given money and don't have to do anything in return. Or rather they think that we think they don't have to do anything in return.

 

 

[Marty_d]

I often scratch my head over this when pollies get caught. Dastyari. Bronnie and her $5,000 helicopter ride. Etc etc.

 

They're under the media spotlight, not to mention the other side of politics will constantly be trying to dig dirt, and these days you just can't hide it. How the hell can they think they can get away with it? Plus the fact that they're on salaries far higher than the average duck - it's not a good look, and it's not a good idea.

 

It must be a cultural thing with a lack of leadership. First thing anyone elected, whether senator or MP, should be sat down and told "Don't get greedy. Refuse large gifts and cash. Don't sh*t your nest. It damages the team if you get caught." - and this should be reinforced periodically.

 

 

[ave8rr]

And stop receiving any money or perks when you leave or are kicked out of the place....

 

 

[facthunter]

I don't believe their salaries are that high for what they would do if they did their job well. They have very little security of tenure. High on the party chart senators like Barnardi and Dastary and independents Wilkie, Xenophon, Hanson are the most secure. Nev

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Apparently Dastardly has never had a real job. Went straight from Uni to politics. Doesn't know how to handle money. He will be PM one day.

 

 

[2tonne]

I had a conversation with an MP a few years back at a social function. His view was that politicians, especially backbenchers, earn very little compared to what they might earn in business or elsewhere. Maybe this kind of belief is what leads to the idea of using "entitlements" to make up for their perceived lack of salary.

 

 

[Marty_d]

I had a conversation with an MP a few years back at a social function. His view was that politicians, especially backbenchers, earn very little compared to what they might earn in business or elsewhere. Maybe this kind of belief is what leads to the idea of using "entitlements" to make up for their perceived lack of salary.

The BASE rate for MP's and senators is $199,040, not to mention travel and other perks. Without mentioning names I can think of a few senators who wouldn't be able to earn a third of that in the real world. Regardless of the amount they get paid, as I said before, they're under the media spotlight - especially those on the front bench. I just don't understand the brain fart of thinking that no one will find out.

 

I don't believe their salaries are that high for what they would do if they did their job well.

Yes, well...

 

 

[kgwilson]

If most pollies had a real job they'd have to perform to get ahead. In politics you just have to be good at lying with a straight face & never ever answer a direct question especially if one is asked with a yes or no answer requested. There are exceptions of course. A lot of them seem to have law or accounting qualifications but whether they were successful in their original professions is questionable and probably the reason they gravitated to the political gravy train.

 

 

[ave8rr]

I had a conversation with an MP a few years back at a social function. His view was that politicians, especially backbenchers, earn very little compared to what they might earn in business or elsewhere. Maybe this kind of belief is what leads to the idea of using "entitlements" to make up for their perceived lack of salary.

They knew the pay/perks when they put their hand up for the job. I bet none of them are in there if they didn't want to be.

 

 

[onetrack]

Had a discussion with a mate many years ago and commented on how old most MP's were (we had a lot of older, rusted-on pollies, back then).

 

His comment? "You can't become a pollie before you're 40, because you don't learn to lie properly, until you're 40!!"

 

 

[Marty_d]

"You can't become a pollie before you're 40, because you don't learn to lie properly, until you're 40!!"

Tell my 3 year old daughter that.

 

 

[onetrack]

Yeah, little kids are funny, how they think you can't see right through their lies.

 

Funnily enough, many pollies think the same as little kids.

 

 

[dutchroll]

Kids lies are more "innocent" in a sense, knowing they're in trouble for a naughty, but generally fairly trivial, act and naively thinking they can talk their way out of it by fibbing.

 

Politicians' lies are somewhat more elaborate, pre-planned, and usually adversely affect numerous other people or involve very large sums of money.

 

 

[rgmwa]

It's not just the outright lies. It's the half truths, the misleading statements and unrelenting bias that gets them the reputation they have well and truly earned. They can never give a clear `yes' or `no' answer to anything.

 

rgmwa