Kiwithrottlejockey
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« on: July 03, 2010, 04:03:01 pm » |
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(click on the cartoon to download & read the news story)
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If you aren't living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space!
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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Having fun in the hills!
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« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2010, 04:08:10 pm » |
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Editorial: Time to set MPs' top-ups independentlyThe Dominion Post | 5:00AM - Saturday, 03 July 2010When instances of lavish public spending are revealed, those in the news media are usually besieged by MPs clamouring to be the first to denounce wanton extravagance and to promise it will be stopped.
There is, however, an exception. When it is the MPs' own wallowing in the public trough that is in the spotlight, the silence is deafening.
And so it has proved after former Speaker Sir Doug Kidd and Philip Barry presented their review of parliamentary expenses, which suggested cutting perks but topping up pay. Only the Greens were willing to front up immediately. Other leaders are waiting to see how their MPs react before committing themselves.
That is unsurprising. The review again highlights the lack of transparency and the lack of accountability that MPs enjoy when it comes to their own pay and allowances.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the international travel perk available to MPs and their partners, a perk that increases the longer a MP has been in Parliament. The report notes: "The history of the rebate entitlement suggests that it was introduced as a means of effectively increasing MPs' remuneration while at the same time maintaining a restraint on salary increases."
It adds: "The no doubt unforeseen effect has been that MPs who have served more than one term in Parliament are able to determine part of their own remuneration with limited accountability and transparency."
That is one way to describe it. Another is to say it is a ruse to hide from the public just how much MPs are getting, and a system that allows backbenchers who think they're worth more than $131,000 a year to use the travel perk to top up their pay packets. Just how big that top-up can be is apparent from the review's recommendation that MPs get a 10 per cent pay rise if the perk is cut.
Then there is the right to an unlimited number of free domestic flights for partners. It is right that candidates are not discouraged from standing for Parliament because of the impact of separation from their families, and that, as a "good employer", taxpayers should pay for some travel. However, that should not be unlimited, and the proposal for a cap is long overdue.
The unfettered right to travel for partners is simply another hidden top-up to pay packets.
The allowances are symptomatic of a sense of entitlement that permeates Parliament, and of a willingness to exploit every loophole — the report raises again the inappropriateness of MPs getting allowances for Wellington accommodation they own either directly or indirectly.
Parliament costs nearly $140 million a year to run, a sum that has been growing well ahead of inflation. It's time for MPs' perks to be set independently — and for the publicto know exactly how much it is paying its representatives, whether it is in their pay packets or in "entitlements".http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/opinion/editorials/3880813/Editorial-Time-to-set-MPs-top-ups-independently
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If you aren't living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space!
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guest49
Guest
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« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2010, 06:17:19 pm » |
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Turkeys dont vote for Christmas, but I believe back bench salaries of $130,000 plus are obscene, and when the perks are added to this overcompensation, the package is outrageous. An immediate reduction of $40,000 would be a very good start, and paying for their own holidays should be an absolute requirement. Increasing their bloated salaries by 10% to compensate for something they should not be getting, is just bloody mind-numbing.
I am ambivalent about the front bench salaries, but at $250,000 [plus or minus] I wonder what value we get....... and what I said about backbenchers perks goes for these pigs as well!
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chevy
Member
Posts: 202
Chevy from the Levy
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« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2010, 10:24:52 pm » |
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well now.... lets just quote Roger Douglas ay.... Perks are a RIGHT for me and my wife to jet set around the worldor something to that effect
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bye bye American Pie
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chevy
Member
Posts: 202
Chevy from the Levy
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« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2010, 10:28:07 pm » |
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im in the EPMU and have been for the last 20yrs with the Printing business. What would Parliament do if us great unwashed asked for a 10% pay increase when the next payround comes around? "oh no the Union scum are being unrealistic" will be the answer considering if we even asked for 5%!
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bye bye American Pie
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TokGal
Shit-Hot Member
Posts: 1473
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« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2010, 07:57:51 am » |
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im in the EPMU and have been for the last 20yrs with the Printing business. What would Parliament do if us great unwashed asked for a 10% pay increase when the next payround comes around? "oh no the Union scum are being unrealistic" will be the answer considering if we even asked for 5%! Perhaps that is EXACTLY what the people should do.....PLUS fringe benefits, (whats good for the goose is good for the gander) why should MP's be treated any differently to everyone else? After all nobody FORCED them into the job, they chose to stand to represent the people in their electorate (apart from the useless list MPs of course). They need to be reminded time and time again, until they get the message, that they are OUR SERVANTS not our masters!
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Im2Sexy4MyPants
Absolutely Fabulously Incredibly Shit-Hot Member
Posts: 8271
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« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2010, 10:48:50 am » |
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I like your idea every time the government get a 10% rise everyone else in NZ should get one 2
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Are you sick of the bullshit from the sewer stream media spewed out from the usual Ken and Barby dickless talking point look a likes. If you want to know what's going on in the real world... And the many things that will personally effect you. Go to http://www.infowars.com/AND WAKE THE F_ _K UP
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Kiwithrottlejockey
Admin Staff
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Having fun in the hills!
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« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2010, 11:35:09 am » |
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Meanwhile, I've just been listening to that rightie wanker Matthew Hooten on Radio NZ National.
The “born-to-rule National Party tosser” has been sticking up for the rights of MPs to stick their snouts deep into the trough.
Kinda shows up what his TRUE mindset is, eh? I wonder if he also thinks his shit doesn't stink?
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If you aren't living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space!
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Im2Sexy4MyPants
Absolutely Fabulously Incredibly Shit-Hot Member
Posts: 8271
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« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2010, 01:03:28 pm » |
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Our government is getting too big for their boots They already have more than enough of our money to feed their piggy strange kinky bad habits. We should smoke them all and make them bacon.
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Are you sick of the bullshit from the sewer stream media spewed out from the usual Ken and Barby dickless talking point look a likes. If you want to know what's going on in the real world... And the many things that will personally effect you. Go to http://www.infowars.com/AND WAKE THE F_ _K UP
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chevy
Member
Posts: 202
Chevy from the Levy
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« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2010, 01:01:52 am » |
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Our government is getting too big for their boots They already have more than enough of our money to feed their piggy strange kinky bad habits
You just wait untill this compulsory Kiwisaver scheme kicks in and they automatically come in and rape your savings which will go to Dodgy Companys which will NOT stand up under anada Reccesion. Will they take 9% of our total pay or just 2% like they allow Companys to pay in. And it is NOT Govt backed and never was.
I for one have my own private Scheme running with Aventine and dont want no dodgy ass Broker, Banker piling it all into the the sharemarket or into dodgy Companys all to be lost within 2years with no come back!
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bye bye American Pie
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Kiwithrottlejockey
Admin Staff
XNC2 GOD
Posts: 32232
Having fun in the hills!
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If you aren't living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space!
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Kiwithrottlejockey
Admin Staff
XNC2 GOD
Posts: 32232
Having fun in the hills!
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« Reply #11 on: August 03, 2016, 11:45:53 am » |
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If you aren't living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space!
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