Pay increases & perks.

[Pies4shaw]

It's no wonder we struggle to get decent candidates for public office in this country, given the crappy pay their jobs attract: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/vict ... 5awpd.html

[stui magpie]

Meanwhile the POTUS earns $400k US plus a $50k alowance.

[eddiesmith]

Nice for the politicians that they aren't restricted by the same policies they enforce on the public service.

Pollies get 2.75%, they put a 1.5% cap on everyone else...

[Pies4shaw]

The money is shocking, isn't it? It's no wonder there are so many hacks. It probably matters less in the US than here because they already need to be rich there to get their campaigns off the ground. You'd still think they'd pay them a living wage, though.

[stui magpie]

I'm sure that the majority of people earning less than 6 figures would take issue with $450k being less than a living wage, but people in the public service earn more.

Still, it's not bad for people who have no demonstrable skills other than winning a popularity contest. Politicians, the original reality TV stars, predating TV.

[eddiesmith]

450k as your base pay, oh those poor bastards...

[Pies4shaw]

It's not much for what they do.

[eddiesmith]

They do something? Obviously that’s not attend parliament and act like school kids once every few months…

[Skids]

Do they pay tax? I thought they would, but the story states- Incoming deputy premier Jacinta Allan will take home $395,738.

You'd have to gross over $750,000 to 'take home' that amount.

[David]

Don't know about Australian politicians, but it's not as if the president of the US needs to worry about paying for accommodation, or food, or transport. Indeed, I'd be interested to know what, if anything, comes out of their own pocket.

[stui magpie]

Day to day expenses would be covered, but they would still own property that they lived in before going to the White House which would attract property taxes and insurance, Obama had young kids so there's school or uni fees, clothes, all the stuff you have to have for kids.

Again, it would be similar to the Prime Minister. Your mortgage doesn't go away just because you temporarily reside elsewhere.

[Skids]

It's not much for what they do.

Agree totally. We really do get what we pay for.

Supervisor level workers in mining are on circa $250k-$280k. You're talking late 20 - mid 30 year olds, more and more females filling the roles too.
Superintendent level are circa $325k+

A Mine Manager with around 6-8 area managers under him/her would be paid well above what our PM gets paid.

A recently retired CEO for a major mining company, received a Bentley as a xmas bonus a few years ago.

[stui magpie]

If basic MP's and Senators got a base wage of $1M per year, would we get a better quality of politician or just a different one?

[Pies4shaw]

Hadn't really thought about it. Since you ask, though, I suspect they'd probably still be mostly lawyers, as they seem to be now - but at least you wouldn't be automatically excluding all the ones who are competent at what they do but wouldn't countenance the present massive pay cut. Reflecting on Skids' post, we're probably not attracting too many capable managers, either, from any field.

[swoop42]

These days former Presidents of the United States can go on to make many millions from speaking engagements, book deals, endorsements etc.

Their big payday comes after they leave office.