Senator Steve Fielding - Leader of Family First
Time to shut down fat cat pollie payouts
Posted by Senator Steve Fielding on March 30 2009 | 8 Comments
The Rudd government’s move to curb golden handshakes is worthy but it’s hypocritical to point the finger at executive salaries when most politicians in the Federal Parliament will receive their own golden handshake on retirement,
I think politicians should be stripped of their obscene superannuation payments when so many families are struggling in this economic crisis.I’m determined to stop this rorting and will introduce the Parliamentary Superannuation Amendment (Removal of Excessive Super) Bill 2009 in the next sitting of the parliament to shut down excessive superannuation payments for federal politicians.
I find it a more than a little hypocritical that the Treasurer, Wayne Swan, criticises termination payouts given to executives when he will pocket $105,000 a year for life after he leaves the parliament.
More than 120 MPs, including the Prime Minister, will get a golden handshake.
The government has to lead by example on this. By all means, tighten those payments for fat cats who make their termination payments on the backs of hard working Australians.
However, the same standards must surely apply to politicians. In these difficult times, excessive superannuation payments for politicians must be removed.
The government must put an end to this abuse of taxpayers’ dollars. Many of you may already know that only politicians elected before 2004 are eligible for the excessive superannuation payouts but I reckon it should apply to all. what do you think?
Sorry, I can’t see it being passed. I have seen a lot of people over the years go into politics, all with ‘the right intentions’, but once they get their ‘snout in the trough’ and they think ” This so good, I don’t want to leave”. All of a sudden ‘all those right intentions’ based on honesty and commonsense are replaced with greed, dishonesty and whatever else is required in order for them to stay there in this golden cushiness.
The greater percentage of politicians these day are self-opinionated university degrees who have never done a hard days work in their life, so what hope do we have.
Keating used to tell us he was the worlds’ greatest treasurer and we were so lucky to have him. By the time people finally came to their senses and got rid of him, he left the Australia with a lot of debt, which Costello had to fix.
Now we have Rudd, who thinks he’s the savour of the world and will do anything to prove to the rest of the world how good he is. K747 doesn’t really care about Australia. only himself and when his labor government finally gets thrown out, the will leave a debt so big ( probably 50% + of GDP ), our grandchildren will still be paying it off 50 years from now.
So Rudd will just keep buying votes and making himself out to be a big man ( got to keep that snout in the trough )after all 70% of voters are like sheep and beyond common reasoning and understanding
Comment by WHERE HAS COMMONSENSE GONE on 18 April 2009 at 10:37:41 AM
Why don’t the politicians apply the same standards as the rest of the work force to their superannuation payouts?
Perhaps if their retirements was like the rest of ours, based on superannuation contributions throughout their working life, then we might see better long term economic management and sustainability.
Food for thought…
Comment by Waynet on 01 April 2009 at 09:35:32 AM
While I sympathise with the workload and the time apart from family while in politics, I have always wondered why politicians expect to get big handouts once they leave Parliament. They get many perks while there and usually go onto good jobs after because of their political status so why should they get big hanouts for the rest of thier lives? the rest of us have to save all our working lives and still don’t get what they get!
Comment by Noela on 01 April 2009 at 07:54:27 AM
What annoys me most is that politicians can access their superannuation (unless this has changed and i don’t know about it) when they leave politics. NO other Australian worker can take their super until retirement age, so WHY should politicians be any different?
What annoys me second most is the huge amounts of superannuation that is given to politicians on top of lifetime benefits for some politicians.
Comment by Ausfire on 01 April 2009 at 05:27:30 AM
I do not agree with the premise that retirement rewards earned by politicians should necessarily cut.
There are few good people willing to give up family life and serve their country in federal politics. Those that choose an uncertain future and career in politics should be rewarded with a justifiable wage and retirement benefits package commensurate with the portfolio undertaken.
Leave politicians to build infrastructure and develop laws and systems to facilitate a better future for all Australians.
Election time is the opportunity for Australians to exercise their democratic right to pass judgement on past results.
The irony however is that it would appear politicians are trapped into sometimes providing quick fixes to appease self interested votors.
Comment by Neil Surrey Downs on 31 March 2009 at 02:36:39 PM
Do you really imagine, politicians of any persuasion, will agree to any legislation which will reduce their eventual bank balance? Of course they won’t. I am curious to know the extent of impact from the financial crisis, on their current superannuation funds. Retrospective abuse would be very difficult to apply. I cannot imagine any former politician agreeing to reimburse the taxpayer. Why would they? That would only happen in a Panglossian world - and we sure as hell, don’t live in one of those.
Comment by roland on 31 March 2009 at 02:03:33 PM
I was Just commenting on that over lunch today,Hypocritical indeed and coupled with the ‘mate rorts’ in Australia today I can but offer my wholehearted support to the Senator and make sure you publicize it well!.
Comment by Ron B on 31 March 2009 at 12:40:57 PM
In my opinion, politicians should be on an incentive based scheme. That scheme based upon the average wage, the average super and so on. Then they will receive reward according to what they do for those they are supposed to represent.
Comment by Herald4Justice on 31 March 2009 at 12:37:19 PM