Do we understand this issue.
Too many will say they are over paid, but ignore wages paid in private industry.
Some will pointlessly point across the floor at them.
The others, and say why pay them more.
Think we should consider the power and hard task we place in the hands of our politicians.
And that we should reward them for both with better wages.
And less reason to use that power to increase their incomes in other ways.

if it was performance based the Government would be lining up for handouts. How Peter Costello must wonder how a Government could be so incompetent.

Too many will say they are over paid, but ignore wages paid in private industry.

In private enterprise you have to produce enough profits to get paid a lot or be corrupt. In Government you just show up every now & then & if you stuff up you blame the opposition.
It does appear that no qualification other than a thick hide & plenty unquestioning supporters are required to go into Government.

Well not unexpected answers so far,and not of much substance.
Each of us, even those with some understanding, could draw up a list of those we think are over paid.
My list would be long and include members of both sides.
Best not poke some, do not mind the odd jab at the odd, but my thoughts should remain on topic.
I think our politics has not been this bad from the period 1972 to 1975.
Like then my mob Labor both contributed to its fall, and was victim to power and influence.
No different than today.
And like then government on winning office dropped its pants in public and left even its own unhappy, we will see that too again soon.
We see the informed will know, people getting multi million dollar salary's, doing less than some of our ministers.
We if we have the courage! to look, know increasingly graft and corruption is invading every thing in our life.
Why would some want power if it is not rewarded.
Do we want to employ our best then demand their best or wallow in the silliness that all politicians are unworthy.

Dear Belly,

Josh Fear, deputy director of research body
The Australian Institute, says, "Senior executives
move in the company of people like themselves,
all of whom furiously agree with each other
that their enormous salaries are entirely justified.
Although they see meida reports about the disproportinality
of executive pay, it is likely that many of them don't
really understand what all the fuss is about. After all,
they deliver 'shareholder value,' so aren't
they entitled to it?"

As it happens, the pay of Norris and company has run
far ahead of even shareholder values, as measured by
bank profits.

I suspect that politicians are also the same. They feel
that they are "entitled to it."

Peter Coleman points out in, "The Costello Memoirs,"
"Whatever they may say, most politicians do not go
into Parliament to bring about particular reforms;
they go in because they find the life irresistible.
They want to be in it all their lives. They enjoy its
exhilarating highs and take in its miserable (and
tedious) lows in their stride. They face long
years in the wilderness with equanimity. They take for
granted the slander of fools. They also believe that
the voters will get it right in the end. Their day
will come. They are politicians in the way others
are poets. They can't help themselves."

Coleman may be right.

However we can only hope that who we
vote these pollies will pick ones
of a different parliamentary tradition.

Not - the seat-warmers, the hacks, the
careerists, the adventurers. We can only hope
that we'll get it right
and pick pollies who go
into parliament to make a difference. Pollies who will
work in our best interests and deserve the salaries they
get.

At present however, the pickings are looking mighty slim

Belly:>>Well not unexpected answers so far,and not of much substance.<<

The sentiment is clear, we do not want to reward failures. I don't give a tinkers cuss if a politician spends 16 hours a day and fails or they spend 8 hours a day and fail, they still fail. If they think they are spending more time on the job than they are being recompensed for, let them work 4 hours a day, the result would be the same, FAILURE, that is all we have received.

BELLY>>
We see the informed will know, people getting multi million dollar salary's, doing less than some of our ministers.<<

But unlike our ministers if they fail continually they are out. Bludging failures want more, just like Gillards "give the pensioners nothing, they don't do anything for us" give these failing bludgers nothing because if they get this obscene pay rise it will be FIRST thing they have achieved, and it aint for us.