Politicians squirmed when asked about pay rises this week. It's not their call and the authority that makes the decision has been working on a fundamental review of MPs' pay
its all very well to go on about how stressful the job is or how much people criticise politicians but what comes first the distrust or the reasons for the distrust. politician's have been lying to us for decades while they sell of our state assets cut our wages ,destroy our unions and our right to organise and hello nobody likes us .
as for the argument that better wages means better politicians. No its better wages means greedier politicians. back before the neoliberal fire sale of state assets and freezing of wages in practice people were generally more respectful of politicians. granted that a lot of the abuse is misguide and directed at the wrong people and at time disgusting but when politicians bring in policies that lower wages, force up the price of housing and just about everything else while corporate profits go through the roof and taxes on the rich go through the floor and corporates pay no tax its no wonder there is a bit of scepticism.
I find it utterly incredulous that MP's have the luxury of an independent remuneration authority to set their wages when this is not afforded to EVERY OTHER NZ CITIZEN in paid work. To not provide this is to exist in the Orwellian dystopia of 'all animals are equal but some are more equal than others.' Democracy is a total sham, the rich get richer and the prols get the scraps off the table
Make being an MP a lottery like jury service. Keep getting paid your normal wage for the parliamentary term; law provides support for your employer to hire someone to backfill your position.
The civil servants in the Ministries know more about how all this stuff should be run and are less likely to be ideologically driven down a particular path at the expense of all reason.
But you have to earn that pay rise in a normal job because you’ve worked hard for it
REALLY!!…..have these politicians earned the right to have a pay rise after only 5mths into their roles without any concerns on the impacts from their 100 day carnage that undermines the rights of tenants, or employees with their focus hellbent on benefitting landlords and employers whilst poverty is still sits mostly unaddressed so many people are being made redundant right now in these fields academic sciences medical and media these are not just not 1 person being impacted but their entire families therefore what positive actions that will benefit the nation has this new govt taken to warrant a pay rise this is an insult to those of us who really do work hard - NO PAY RISE
I think Hipkins is laying a trap for Luxon on this. He has been very careful to say that the review is independent (which is true). Luxon says that too ... but Luxon is completely tone deaf and happily take a pay rise because "I'm entitled". Just like he is entitled to take $52K a year to live in his own mortgage-free house.
Will Mr. Executive turn down a pay rise he's entitled to? I guess we will find out soon. But track record says Luxon will take the pay rise and the filthy peasants will scream. Luxon will be utterly unable to understand why they're making such a fuss (he's entitled to it!) but ultimately he will either tough it out or be forced to walk it back. Either way he looks like a dick, which can only work to the opposition's advantage.
its all very well to go on about how stressful the job is or how much people criticise politicians but what comes first the distrust or the reasons for the distrust. politician's have been lying to us for decades while they sell of our state assets cut our wages ,destroy our unions and our right to organise and hello nobody likes us .
as for the argument that better wages means better politicians. No its better wages means greedier politicians. back before the neoliberal fire sale of state assets and freezing of wages in practice people were generally more respectful of politicians. granted that a lot of the abuse is misguide and directed at the wrong people and at time disgusting but when politicians bring in policies that lower wages, force up the price of housing and just about everything else while corporate profits go through the roof and taxes on the rich go through the floor and corporates pay no tax its no wonder there is a bit of scepticism.
Couldn't have said it better myself!
I find it utterly incredulous that MP's have the luxury of an independent remuneration authority to set their wages when this is not afforded to EVERY OTHER NZ CITIZEN in paid work. To not provide this is to exist in the Orwellian dystopia of 'all animals are equal but some are more equal than others.' Democracy is a total sham, the rich get richer and the prols get the scraps off the table
"Police minister Mark Mitchell conceded yesterday that New Zealand couldn’t compete with police pay packets on offer in Australia."
Sure we can. We just choose to give tax cuts to landlords instead.
How about tying politicians’ salaries to the median wage?
Make being an MP a lottery like jury service. Keep getting paid your normal wage for the parliamentary term; law provides support for your employer to hire someone to backfill your position.
The civil servants in the Ministries know more about how all this stuff should be run and are less likely to be ideologically driven down a particular path at the expense of all reason.
Would you normally accept a pay rise at your job? Of course you would!
But you have to earn that pay rise in a normal job because you’ve worked hard for it
REALLY!!…..have these politicians earned the right to have a pay rise after only 5mths into their roles without any concerns on the impacts from their 100 day carnage that undermines the rights of tenants, or employees with their focus hellbent on benefitting landlords and employers whilst poverty is still sits mostly unaddressed so many people are being made redundant right now in these fields academic sciences medical and media these are not just not 1 person being impacted but their entire families therefore what positive actions that will benefit the nation has this new govt taken to warrant a pay rise this is an insult to those of us who really do work hard - NO PAY RISE
I think Hipkins is laying a trap for Luxon on this. He has been very careful to say that the review is independent (which is true). Luxon says that too ... but Luxon is completely tone deaf and happily take a pay rise because "I'm entitled". Just like he is entitled to take $52K a year to live in his own mortgage-free house.
Will Mr. Executive turn down a pay rise he's entitled to? I guess we will find out soon. But track record says Luxon will take the pay rise and the filthy peasants will scream. Luxon will be utterly unable to understand why they're making such a fuss (he's entitled to it!) but ultimately he will either tough it out or be forced to walk it back. Either way he looks like a dick, which can only work to the opposition's advantage.