"then why aren't we getting a higher calibre of person wanting to be a politician?"
Indi, looks like that perennial loser, and former fish and chip shop owner Pauline Hanson will nominate again in NSW. I hope it's for the Senate, like we did in the NSW LC election in 2011 when Jeremy Buckingham defeated Hanson for the final spot. In a senate vote she would be up against Cate Faehrmann, and again a Hanson win would see the caliber drop another 10 points, then again if Cate wins the caliber jumps 10 points.

Suse
It is not just about whether politicians get paid enough but whether these details be exempt from FOI. All public salaries are a matter for public scrutiny. There seems to be a competition for these roles which indicates the salary levels are more than adequate.

Political salaries have risen more than cost of living-directly or via allowances. While people are arguing about 1-3% rises for workers the pollies generally get around 10%. How much is not enough. The PM's salary sits at approx $500,000 including allowances required to do her/his job. I think that is more than reasonable and allows the incumbent a very comfortable lifestyle and recompense for the long hours.

I don't believe the calibre of candidates would rise with a higher salary. These jobs are about public service. Same with nursing or teaching given the relatively lower salaries by comparison. I have dealt with politicians over many years and - there are good people (even)in the ALP and LNP but for many party politics and ambition sometimes gets in the way of purpose.

The LNP is too wedded to the big end of town and acquiescing to corporate pressures and the political donations don't aid impartiality in this respect. The ALP has lost it's grass roots focus and in the rush to neo-liberalism and lost sight of what is important. Pork barrelling is now policy, middle class and corporate welfare is growing, environment never wins over those with money and influence on government etc.

This fellow has a different view. It is not about electing new leaders of parties (that can happen over and over to no avail) but maybe about creating new parties: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/why-i-quit-the-alp-20130526-2n50x.html

Cynicism is not a good look and it is easy to fall down that well at times. I have seen some of this close up and feel strongly that we need new parties and Independents to bring democracy back to the ordinary person. Or the parties themselves re-invent themselves and shake-up the fraudsters like the Obeids and MacDonalds, the ministerial rorters. The party always knows who they are.

Yes I agree with you there Pelican. Maybe I was too quick to judge, but I get frustrated with the calibre of politicians we do have.

As for Big Clive, I wouldn't get too excited over this bloke with a 'great personality'.
Neither his money nor his personality will help him unless he looks at his obvious health problems

As an ex ALP member I can empathies with Andrew Macleod and his disillusionment with the Labor Party. My first political experience came with my opposition to the Vietnam War and the "radical" protest that ensured. Politically it was a clear cut choice between, "them" the conservatives and pro war Liberal Party led by Billy McMahon, and "us" who identified with the Labor Party and Gough Whitlam. As I entered the work force it was natural to join the union, by my early 20's I become very active in my left wing union and rather than join the radical Communist Party, I had elected to join the ALP. At that time I believed Labor was the party best suited to Australia and the party that could deliver. With the election of Whitlam in 1972 I thought it truly was "time" and was angered with the sacking of Labor in 1975. Justifying that anger with a belief of a conspiracy to deny the people what they deserved. Although I had great admiration for Gough, and still do, I cannot say I had the same for Bob Hawke who I believed was an opportunist and a self serving individual.
con't

con't
Hawke's rise to the pinnacle of political power in Australia confirmed my suspicion, that although he achieved a number of good things he pushed the party to the right. The lunge to the right did achieve short term success for the party and for Hawke in particular, at the same time it alienated many within the party. As the right tightened it undemocratic grip on the party, and replaced that grass roots democracy with imposed authoritarianism, with its internal deals, its imposition of candidates and control of party policy. I found myself with no alternative but to resign and walk away.
Some years later I joined The Greens, at first mainly to offer support to a party I seen as having the potential to offer Australia an alternative. It did not take long to realize The Greens were much more than merely a one issue environmental party, but rather a broad based grass roots democratic party which was in tune with my thinking, and had committed people who could offer a real alternative to both Labor and Liberal

pelican - While people are arguing about 1-3% rises for workers the pollies generally get around 10%.

The lunatics in charge of the Queensland asylum have decided they deserve a 33% salary increase, mind you the state is so broke thanks to previous incompetent GoAnna the Blight that no public servants can get even 2% increase