94 replies to this topic

[Full Range]

Snip fron a news paper article from India

MELBOURNE: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard will get more salary than US President Barack Obama and the UK Prime Minister David Cameron, as the country's Remuneration Tribunal has decided in favour of increasing the wage of the MPs.

The salary of Gillard is set to overshoot by $90,000 making her total wages exceed even US president Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron salaries, a media report said.

After a review, the independent Remuneration Tribunal has decided for increasing federal MPs' salaries in decades. The base salary for the politicians is likely to jump steeply and even the most junior parliamentarian will jump from $140,000 to at least $180,000, 'The Courier Mail' reported

Rest of story here - http://timesofindia....ow/10940248.cms

[JohnA]

of course its worth it.

look at the brilliant job they are doing.

couldnt think of anyone more deserving of such a pay rise

[dreambrother18]

Slap agencies with an extra 'efficiency dividend' to help you get back into surplus, and give yourself a payrise for doing so. Where else is the money going to come from?

[brumby]

Slap agencies with an extra 'efficiency dividend' to help you get back into surplus, and give yourself a payrise for doing so. Where else is the money going to come from?

Got a mirror handy?

[Full Range]

Pay them by per capita
Just did a little research and came up with this up to date and current info -

The current U.S.A. population is over 311 million people (311,800,000 in mid-2011) so the United States has the world's third largest population
The annual salary of US President Barack Obama is USD 400,000 per annum, unlike many of the corporate executives from the Wall Street, whose annual salary runs into millions

In 2001, the population of the United Kingdom was recorded at just under 59 million people
PM David Cameron salary is just as much as a local councillor receives.
According to reports the PM is on £142,500

FR

[Orpheus]

Doesn't seem unreasonable to me, when you compare it to what CEOs are paid for a less important job.

Keep in mind it is highly unlikely they would have granted themselves this level of pay increase, for political reasons. Now their income is determined by the REnumeration Tribunal, it is, no doubt, in line with senior public servants.

Edited by Orpheus, 01 December 2011 - 05:09 PM.

[Luc]

I'm engulfed with total ennui when I look at the current crop of spivs, hangers on, toadies, and religous nutters infesting state and federal politics but would I want to do their job? No way, never...period.

The people who whinge about our pollies are the people who voted them in, if you dont like their pay and you think they don't deserve it then don't vote for them: Simple.

I think the pay they get is as Orph says not unreasonable, the majority of members here seem to be city dwellers and maybe you dont get to know your local member too well or see him/her too often and that might colour your judgement a bit.

I'm in a rural area and I come across my local member on a regular basis, almost to the point where I want to duck away if I see him enter the pub or walking down the path towards me, because his party is anathema to me and I've never voted for them and probably never will, but and here's the rub; He's a self made man with a lot of real estate interests and a pub or two and lord knows what else and he certainly does not need the money that he gets as a State member and you have to wonder why is he doing it?

He works his butt off, he really does and I dips me lid to him as a result of that, he tries his hardest for this area and for us his constituents and each election I vote against him...go figure.

My Federal member is the same and on paper she appears to be a classic left leaning politician but she's the same as the State member even though she's in the opposite side of politics to him..they both work their arses off and I could never manifest that amount of dedication and enthusiasm for such a thankless task that they both do.

So yes I think they are well worth the money, it easy to sit back on the sidelines and bang on about how bad the economy is and how bad the current Government is doing, in it's role as administrator of our assets but walk a mile in their shoes, see how you'd go in that position...better still; Give up your career, your present job and put your hand up as a contender, see how you go and then come back here and whinge and whine about what a pollie gets paid.

Cheap as chips I reckon, the cost of our pollies, what's outrageous is the costs of Government administration not the Government per se.
Exactly like bagging Teachers...go and run a class of kids, day in day out and see how you go and come back and whinge about the pittance they get paid.

*steps down off soap box...

[Orpheus]

I'm engulfed with total ennui when I look at the current crop of spivs, hangers on, toadies, and religous nutters infesting state and federal politics but would I want to do their job? No way, never...period.

The people who whinge about our pollies are the people who voted them in, if you dont like their pay and you think they don't deserve it then don't vote for them: Simple.

I think the pay they get is as Orph says not unreasonable, the majority of members here seem to be city dwellers and maybe you dont get to know your local member too well or see him/her too often and that might colour your judgement a bit.

I'm in a rural area and I come across my local member on a regular basis, almost to the point where I want to duck away if I see him enter the pub or walking down the path towards me, because his party is anathema to me and I've never voted for them and probably never will, but and here's the rub; He's a self made man with a lot of real estate interests and a pub or two and lord knows what else and he certainly does not need the money that he gets as a State member and you have to wonder why is he doing it?

He works his butt off, he really does and I dips me lid to him as a result of that, he tries his hardest for this area and for us his constituents and each election I vote against him...go figure.

My Federal member is the same and on paper she appears to be a classic left leaning politician but she's the same as the State member even though she's in the opposite side of politics to him..they both work their arses off and I could never manifest that amount of dedication and enthusiasm for such a thankless task that they both do.

So yes I think they are well worth the money, it easy to sit back on the sidelines and bang on about how bad the economy is and how bad the current Government is doing, in it's role as administrator of our assets but walk a mile in their shoes, see how you'd go in that position...better still; Give up your career, your present job and put your hand up as a contender, see how you go and then come back here and whinge and whine about what a pollie gets paid.

Cheap as chips I reckon, the cost of our pollies, what's outrageous is the costs of Government administration not the Government per se.
Exactly like bagging Teachers...go and run a class of kids, day in day out and see how you go and come back and whinge about the pittance they get paid.

*steps down off soap box...

Yes, teachers are actually underpaid, I don't think there is much doubt about that.

[Catostylus]

....it is, no doubt, in line with senior public servants.

It's certainly not in line with this public servant.

[comfortablynumb]

Yes, teachers are actually underpaid, I don't think there is much doubt about that.

There is no way I could be a teacher....especially of high school students, especially in a Government school.

I reckon after about a week I would be sacked for punching one of the little smarta**ed buggers on the nose !!!

[Orpheus]

It's certainly not in line with this public servant.

Yes, but obviously by senior, I mean the very top of the tree.

[Catostylus]

The fact that the tree has a top is only a rumour from where I sit.

[Orpheus]

The fact that the tree has a top is only a rumour from where I sit.

. Yes, the Sir Humphries are hiding away somewhere.

[Super Mustud]

It's certainly not in line with this public servant.

Sounds to me like you may have forgotten to sign that slip you got in the post to authorise the extra monthly payments.

Perhaps you thought it was a parking fine?

[colinm1]

i dont know if they are worth the money ,but i did some calculations the other night and in the last 4 years i have become 10% worse off in dollar terms,fortunatly i walk to work so i have no outgoing there ,but it is becoming a bit of an issue,just keeping ontop of day to day bills,
so i dont know if they are worth it,as they live in a different world to me

[Orpheus]

Looking at your list of hi-fi, your lack of funds is readily explained .

[biologist]

I'm engulfed with total ennui when I look at the current crop of spivs, hangers on, toadies, and religous nutters infesting state and federal politics but would I want to do their job? No way, never...period...... blah, blah, and so on.....

*steps down off soap box...

Thank you Luc, my sentiments exactly.

[Luc]

Hey Colin, could I just ask you to explain this statement a bit more, expand upon it if you will:

so i dont know if they are worth it,as they live in a different world to me

What exactly do you mean when you say they live in a different world to you?

Of course they do and so do I and so does the guy up my street who spends all his dollars on overseas trips and never mows his lawns, so does the real estate guy round the corner who would sell his mother if he could: We all live in different worlds to each other.

Since the current Federal government came to power I'm in a far better financial position than I ever was under the previous as investment in public infrastructure benefits me in a direct way as my industry is automatically engaged when money is pumped into public(and of course private when available) infrastructure.

This of course doesn't mean that I automatically agree with pay rises for some of the chaff that sits with snouts in trough in our Parliaments across the land and I do acknowledge the difficulty that many people face: We're not all equal in our incomes or our hopes, abilities, desires etc.

I live in a slightly different economic reality to you I guess but we're both living in the same country and multiply that by a factor of millions to take in the rest of Australia's population and you'll end up with a disparate group of opinions and hopes and no one could ever hope to cater for them all: And that is a Politicians lot to try and do exactly that and they must know that they'll be on a hiding to nothing from the moment they start.

* Hmm I wonder if I should apply for the Spinmiesters position at Canberra for the politicians lobby group S.I.T. ?

[Luc]

Sorry I thought I'd stepped down off the bloody soap box...more "blah blah blah":p I'm afraid.

But it's a pleasant evening here with the slow drip of gentle rain through the palm trees and some lovely Kora playing from Mali coming through the system..(Did I spell that right? The musical instrument I mean..Kora ?) and a glass of a rather scrumptious Grant Burge red, perfectsynergy for a good chinwag on a thread:D

[Rockford]

What does a backbencher do on a daily basis for $180K. Anyone know the day in the life of a backbencher? I'm thinking of jobs that pay $180K a year and what the responsibilities/expectations of these would be.

[Bear72]

Sorry I thought I'd stepped down off the bloody soap box...more "blah blah blah":p I'm afraid.

But it's a pleasant evening here with the slow drip of gentle rain through the palm trees and some lovely Kora playing from Mali coming through the system..(Did I spell that right? The musical instrument I mean..Kora ?) and a glass of a rather scrumptious Grant Burge red, perfectsynergy for a good chinwag on a thread:D

Yep, Kora. Lovely, innit?

What does a backbencher do on a daily basis for $180K. Anyone know the day in the life of a backbencher? I'm thinking of jobs that pay $180K a year and what the responsibilities/expectations of these would be.

Well that should be obvious. They back benches. Which is a colloquialism for reversing. Ever tried reversing a trailer? A bench is waaaaay harder.

[Luc]

A mate of mine works at a Uni as a Director and his negotiated salary package is $175,000. He puts together tender documents for the Uni and he purchases their car fleet needs each year as well as running a staff of 7 people who are there to assist him in putting the tender documents together as well as the car sales and also sundry other aspects of his role. He starts at 8.30 and he's gone at 4.00, he has a generous 2 to 1 super scheme and his job involves the odd junket overseas every year.
Nice work and it of course carries responsibilities but I don't think it's on a par with a backbencher's responsibilities,. Remember your average backbencher is also some area's local member and unless your some Liberal or Labor member in a blue ribbon seat with a huge majority then you have to work to keep that seat and if your not working hard for your electorate and your still being elected to your position then that's entirely down to the apathetic sheep who keep voting for you each election.
Nothing more nothing less.

A good tradesman can pocket a 100+ large a year without too much sweat and somebody in a non-skilled mine job get do better again...all without the responsibility of being a MP.

Actually if your really keen to find out Rockford, I'll flick an email to the staffers at my local Fed+State members offices and ask them to send me the member's itinerary for say the last month. I'm not sure they'd oblige but I'd do it to back up my argument that they are not the slackers that they are portrayed through general opinion or the tabloid press and TV.

[holdencaulfield2007]

****NO****

[Super Mustud]

A mate of mine works at a Uni as a Director and his negotiated salary package is $175,000. He puts together tender documents for the Uni and he purchases their car fleet needs each year as well as running a staff of 7 people who are there to assist him in putting the tender documents together as well as the car sales and also sundry other aspects of his role. He starts at 8.30 and he's gone at 4.00, he has a generous 2 to 1 super scheme and his job involves the odd junket overseas every year.
Nice work and it of course carries responsibilities but I don't think it's on a par with a backbencher's responsibilities,. Remember your average backbencher is also some area's local member and unless your some Liberal or Labor member in a blue ribbon seat with a huge majority then you have to work to keep that seat and if your not working hard for your electorate and your still being elected to your position then that's entirely down to the apathetic sheep who keep voting for you each election.
Nothing more nothing less.

A good tradesman can pocket a 100+ large a year without too much sweat and somebody in a non-skilled mine job get do better again...all without the responsibility of being a MP.

Actually if your really keen to find out Rockford, I'll flick an email to the staffers at my local Fed+State members offices and ask them to send me the member's itinerary for say the last month. I'm not sure they'd oblige but I'd do it to back up my argument that they are not the slackers that they are portrayed through general opinion or the tabloid press and TV.

People at unis are way overpaid.

[Luc]

Lol..yeah they is aint they.

(Seriously, they really are and the same goes for quite a few PS positions. Please note I said positions and not public servants per se. Someone has to stand behind the counter at the RTA(or your state equivalent) but do we need Rabbit Inspectors? An acquaintance is one and I've never been able to nail down exactly what he does. "so you find rabbits on a property and then knock on the door and tell the landowner he has rabbits...do you get punched very often?)

[Decky]

At least now they can start planning to buy some serious HiFi gear and toss away those Bose cans

[LogicprObe]

Yes, teachers are actually underpaid, I don't think there is much doubt about that.

You are kidding?
Some of the biggest bludgers I've ever met are teachers.
They get paid plenty, have heaps of holidays and are hardly there anyway.
You know what the biggest cost is for most schools in NSW is?

Hiring casual teachers to fill in for absent full time teachers.
THAT'S where most of the money goes in school budgets.

[Dr Good Vibe]

Is the PM into vinyl??????????????????????????????

[Dr Good Vibe]

You are kidding?
Some of the biggest bludgers I've ever met are teachers.
They get paid plenty, have heaps of holidays and are hardly there anyway.
You know what the biggest cost is for most schools in NSW is?

Hiring casual teachers to fill in for absent full time teachers.
THAT'S where most of the money goes in school budgets.

True I know a couple of teachers, 3 day week 2 years ago where getting 90K and 110K per.

[LogicprObe]

True I know a couple of teachers, 3 day week 2 years ago where getting 90K and 110K per.

Yes, it's a top rort, for sure.

[Super Mustud]

Yes, it's a top rort, for sure.

Are you sure you are allowed to talk about teachers like that on SNA? Pretty sure the rules only let you say that about business people - bankers, CEOs etc.

Davidssss will be choking on his Wheaties this morning.

Orp's blood pressure will be dangerous.

[Orpheus]

S and M, there are two problems with executive salaries;

1.) The Board decides what to pay itself;
2.) As a result, the pay is often in the millions.

Teachers are poorly paid given that they have a degree and a teaching qualification, and given how hard they have to work.

Neither LP's little dig nor Dr Good Vibe's anecdote reflect my experience of teachers. I don't think LP would find teaching particularly easy work.

Dr GV, I don't think your figures on what these teachers were paid is accurate, and I don't know in what circumstances that could come about.

It is nothing about rules, S and M , it is just that informed, reasoned opinions are of more value than ignorant ones.

[Whatmore]

Imagine how dull things would be if everyone only made informed reasoned comments

[krebetman]

Imagine how dull things would be if everyone only made informed reasoned comments

Certainly Internet forums would be quieter!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dreambrother18]

A friend of mine recently became a teacher, after doing 3 years at a top tier law firm. She did the Teach for Australia program, where they give you basic training and some hours in the classroom and send you to teach at some disadvantaged school, because there are no experienced teachers willing to teach there.

As a result, she is now teaching in Geelong at a school where year 11 and 12 kids don't even have basic spelling and comprehension skills. The stories she tells me are horrendous. She puts in an enormous effort preparing for class (outside 9am-3pm hours), is constantly worried about her kids, and at best she might get 5 minutes of silence in a 90 minute class.

She gets paid peanuts, and is more stressed in her job now compared to when she was a lawyer.

I have enormous respect for her, and the teaching profession as a whole. IMHO, they are underpaid for what they do.

[Stump]

Given the high percentage of Politicians have Law Degrees (I wont say what I think about Lawyers) if they don't get the pay rise they will only STEAL the money and disguise it as perks.

[chu]

A SMH reader's letter: "Tony and Julia do a "Joyce" in their stampede towards the trough. It's nice, though, they have finally found some common ground."

And this:



chu

[Orpheus]

Chu, their pay was set by the Renumeration Tribunal. I don't begrudge them their pay rise. They do hold important positions!

[Orpheus]

Given the high percentage of Politicians have Law Degrees (I wont say what I think about Lawyers) if they don't get the pay rise they will only STEAL the money and disguise it as perks.

You just have said what you think of lawyers, Stump. I take it as a compliment. These sort of attitudes are only held about people who others think are privileged.

[Stump]

You just have said what you think of lawyers, Stump. I take it as a compliment. These sort of attitudes are only held about people who others think are privileged.

I take it you are a Lawyer??Then you must see first hand the type of morals required to be a successful Lawyer.

[Whatmore]

Chu, their pay was set by the Renumeration Tribunal. I don't begrudge them their pay rise. They do hold important positions!

Isn't the Tribunal an easy cop-out.
As in: "Oh dear what can we do, this independent body says we should be paid more. Honestly, we wouldn't have given ourselves a rise, but hey, what could we do"

[Whatmore]

I take it you are a Lawyer??Then you must see first hand the type of morals required to be a successful Lawyer.

I know a lot of lawyers, heck I'm married to one, and in my experience they are far more scrupulously honest than the rest of the population and have far more respect for the law and the institutions of our society.

[biologist]

I know a lot of lawyers, heck I'm married to one, and in my experience they are far more scrupulously honest than the rest of the population and have far more respect for the law and the institutions of our society.

Yes, like scientists, lawyers are rarely portrayed accurately in the media, movies especially giving people rather skewed or biased portraits of what are just ordinary decent people trying to do their job.

And yes, I'm a scientist...

[Orpheus]

I take it you are a Lawyer??Then you must see first hand the type of morals required to be a successful Lawyer.

Yes, Stump. A reputation for honesty and integrity is the most valuable thing that a lawyer can have. The best way to obtain it is to act in that way. Absent that, it is very hard to be successful.

So yes, Stump, I do see the morals required to be a successful lawyer.

[Whatmore]

yeah, you biologists are the worst... running around turning people into flies and stuff like that