If politician's pay were merit based, most of them would need a second job to make ends meet.

Belly, that was ALP Kate Ellis, not a TV commentator, who made the comment about pollies not geting paid at all.

And in context, that was not what she was suggesting.

She was highlighting the commonsense view (that is, the view of the masses) that politicians should not get paid.

It's not about whather they should or not, after all, once they did not get paid did they?

It is about having an overly generous super scheme, while ours go down the gurgler because we are linked to the engines of wealth, greed and stupidity, while theirs are linked to our backpockets, forever.

It's about shysters and gold passes, offices and cars until death, airmiles that even a migrating bird could not complete in a short lifetime, and the constant refrain from all politicians that 'ceo's deserve what they get paid in a global market' but nurses, Hey! they need to show restraint! and so on.

So, this pay rise is to attract 'more and better' people to the job eh?

Like who?

More Tony Abbott's and Julia Gillard's or....?

How about a few measurements of what they do, beyond turning up to every school P&C meeting and sod turning event?

Our MHR does nothing, goes nowhere, says nothing, produces nothing but because it's a safe seat, gets returned every time without fail.

Why should he get a massive pay rise?

How about these public purse soaks start to consider the 'dole bludgers' who live on a year for less than what these spongers get for their mail allowance, which is mostly spent on party political mailing at election time not 'informing the electorate' in between elections?

its sickening...[the blatent wage increases..must end]

we need to know they serve us
not their mates..not their party..!

it was agonising watching the criminals
swear to serve...only the commonwealth...that is dead
scince the australia act

why dont they swear to serve the voters
or the people..or their service/duty to the living

who elects you mugs?
us

what is the commonwealth
a myth

heck you didnt swear even to serve the queen..
and her duties to the common weal!

lettle wonder they utter the black rods lord prayer
when they 'serve ther commonwealth'...lol

yes men
yes woman
yes party master[whip]

yes..[i guess]..
without an origonal thought in their head

xtians taking oath

bah

dont take the lord name
in vain*

mathew...5;..22-48...[33/37]
james..5...1-20..[12]...[4;10-12]

TBC I understand you are an entrenched Green.
But have never doubted you are a bright bloke, your post denies it.
Runner in another thread charges Gillard with imposing females without talent on us.
OUG in the same thread says he watched the ALP criminals installed by the GG.
Individual? why bother find me a single line in his post history than is insightful.
It is not true that every politician/police man/public servant is useless.
If council says you may not dig up your nature strip, install a fruit stall across the footpath, far too many say it is the councilors who are fools.
I judge those who judge like that as wrong/ maybe silly but wrong.
No absolutes in every group some one will be good some bad.
Bickering about others wages comes mostly from those who fail to achieve.

Whose bickering?

Pollies get a shovel load of benefits for a job they choose to do.

They wage rates are known before they impose themselves on us.

I'm not overly concerned what they get paid, but they cannot continue to sponge with 'free gifts' and accuse 'the wurkers' of excesses when, say, a retail worker asks for a modest wage rise, as they do.

I am pleased to see the gold pass go, at long last.

Next stop the endless golden provision of offices, staff and cars for a large number of ex-PMs.

A super scheme in line with the one the prols suffer would be a step forward too.

Most MPs ride to public funded bliss via a party structure not on their own merits.

A small number of MPs are an exception but I think all three in Canberra now were once in the Nats, and gained a power base from that period.

A system designed to attract 'new talent' might be better designed around gettign more real independents into Canberra.

That will not be achieved with pay rises, as Gary Gray ALP power broker seemed to suggest last night it would.

But, of course, now the political parties can levy all their MPs far more, with this pay rise, can't they?

Party funding by the back door.

And, it is interesting to see all these pollies telling us that school teachers must get bonus payments for good performance, while they, the leaders of our nation, just need to get another massive pay rise, even though many (but not all Belly) do sweet FA for the taxes we pay them.

I'd love to see my MHR on a bonus system, determiend by ballott in the electorate.

Even his supporters wouldn't vote for that.

TBC no thread, no subject ever stays on subject here.
I think every issue you raise is true, well not politicians wages.
I could reprint 25 at least posts CONDEMNING union theft, politicians who thieve.
Even the selection process for some idiots in Parliament.
All my life I have thought the best person should get the job.
I thought/think the thread is about the blind absolutes.
The idea if its not done my way they are all idiots.
Against the comments runner makes OUG has been seen to make.
It is not true, 17 hour days when the house sits, more,some very hard workers near kill them selves this way.
CONSENSUS achievable out comes are not evidence people working so hard to achieve them are all idiots.
Not, see American problems currently, all are worth while.
Then again Republicans are a bit strange in any case.