01-14-2017, 01:47 PM
Snouts in the trough Part 2
It's impossible to keep up with the greediness of the political vermin, however a recent article had a Top 10 trough swillers list and it was worth sharing here. So stand by with the bucket because you are going to need it;
1. STATIONERY KING
KEEN correspondent David Feeney, the Labor member for Batman, spent $152,125.33 in total on “office administrative costs” in 2014.
The Shadow Minister for Justice blew almost $100,000 went on “printing and communications”, including $2225 on 40,000 personalised letterheads in October.
Feeney has a history of loving an old-fashioned missive. Before he became one of the “faceless men” who plotted Kevin Rudd’s overthrow in 2010, he complained to the then-prime minister about a 25 per cent cut to MPs’ printing allowances.
2. BIGGEST BLOCKHEAD
RENOVATION shows are pretty addictive, and South Australian MP Tony Pasin must be even more devoted to The Block than us. He spent a record half a million dollars fitting out his Mount Gambier office, which must have some very special vintage wallpaper.
The Liberal MP’s office cost around $150,000 more than any other this year, but he’s not the only politician with an eye for interiors. We spent more than $4.5 million on fit-outs and upgrades for more than 100 MPs and senators between July to December last year, nine costing more than $250,000. Jacqui Lambie’s Tassie office was second-priciest at $357,000.
The Lodge is currently being refurbished for an expected $8.8 million, and taxpayers previously shelled out $450,000 for Julia Gillard’s Adelaide office fit-out after she was deposed as PM.
Mr Pasin defended his spend, saying the work done was “similar to equivalent newly established premises for MPs”, particularly in regional locations where there are no existing offices.
And in case you were concerned the furniture would pale in comparison to the distressed oak floorboards, the Barker MP also spent $140,130.84 on facilities and $117,512.49 on administrative costs. Now that’s a Reno Rumble.
3. A ROOM OF HIS OWN
SCOTT Morrison also likes a stylish office, spending more than $200,000 on office facilities, where even the Prime Minister only needed $92,973.20.
Sure, that includes power, repairs and maintenance — but it doesn’t include his administrative costs, which reached almost $80,000.
The Minister for Social Services has been questioned over facilities before. In July 2014, the then-Immigration Minister was at the centre of an uproar when it emerged the government had spent $330,000 on a room it had not used in the ten months since it had been refitted. The room, which was apparently intended for border protection media briefings, boasted an $800 doorknob and $10,000-a-month audio visual equipment, plus $30,000 rented stage lights.
4. GRAPE MISTAKE
BISHOP isn’t the first Speaker to run into controversy over their expenses. Peter Slipper won an appeal against three dishonesty convictions over reports he falsified records in order to claim $954 for taxi fares on winery visits.
He racked up more than $8000 on his parliamentary gold travel pass between July and December last year, two of the trips to Canberra coinciding with his court appearances.
The controversial gold pass gives retired MPs a certain number of free flights each year.
The most famous traveller among ex-MPs is former Nationals leader Ian Sinclair who, according to the ABC, took more than 750 taxpayer-funded flights, costing more than $250,000.
5. JOURNEYMAN
NORTHERN Territory Senator Nigel Scullion was last year’s leader in spending on domestic airfares, racking up a solid $73,476.99.
And some of his flights were expensive — a trip from Darwin to Melbourne on 21 September cost him $2,011.39. The same journey on that date this year is currently a modest $300 with Jetstar, and around $1000 flying business class with Virgin Australia.
A trip from Canberra to Sydney cost him a rip-off $1,645.66 on 4 September, and a flight from Melbourne to Canberra came in at $491.54 on 22 August.
On the 27 September, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs dispensed with ordinary flights entirely, spending $14,727.27 on a charter flight from Darwin to Katherine.
6. ANYWHERE I LAY MY HEAD
WARREN Snowdon used $43,615.00 in travel allowances, which covers overnight stays in locations other than their home base. He also spent more than $50,000 on domestic airfares, $13,000 for charters and more than $50,000 on cars.
The Lingiari MP also spent $5000 on family travel, but all those nights away from home still pushed up the phone bill, with the Labor MP also coming in top for telecommunications, at almost $10,000.
Snowdon is another letterhead fan, with 42,000 pieces of the stationery coming in at $3200 in July last year.
7. TRAVELLING IN STYLE
BISHOP’S chartered chopper caused uproar, but she’s not the only MP who loves VIP travel.
Warren Truss is the biggest fan of the luxury option, spending $67,117.27 on it last year, with one Canberra to Brisbane trip costing him $21,570.00 on 13 May.
On September 27-28, the Maryborough MP took chartered trips from Hervey Bay to Roma, Roma to Birdsville, Birdsville to Thargomindah and Thargomindah to Gold Coast, costing taxpayers $24,420.
Charter trips are intended for use when a commercial fare is more expensive, not available or not feasible.
8. FAMILY FIRST
PETER Dutton spent a not-insignificant $28,537.53 on family travel last year, mainly between Brisbane, Canberra and Cairns.
While we admire his dedication to his clan, the member for Dickson certainly spends a large amount on keeping them close by.
Family travel has caused headaches for others, from Burke (see below) to Gillard, who repaid $4243 for her partner’s use of a taxpayer-funded vehicle. Pyne is also under scrutiny for charging taxpayers more than $5000 to take his wife and two of his children to Sydney for Christmas in 2009.
What is the nature of the journeys it is funding for friends and relatives?
9. WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
AND now to the past week, in which Labor frontbencher Burke has landed in hot water over a four-day family trip to Uluru in 2012, when he argues he met with members of the Mutitjulu community and managers of the national park as environment minister.
The Labor MP has also said he will pay back $90 in Comcar fares he charged taxpayers to travel to a Robbie Williams concert in 2014, which was work-related because he met with the promoter as an opposition MP. There was also controversy over him charging taxpayers $48,951 for a six-day ministerial trip to Europe, including first-class flights for a senior adviser who is now his partner.
The Shadow Minister for Finance has been further criticised for using the PM’s luxury jet to attend meetings over three days that didn’t conveniently align with commercial flights, costing the taxpayer $16,000.
10. FLIGHT OF FANCY
FINALLY, back to Bishop, who sparked this new expenses debate after her resignation, following her chartering of a chopper to a Liberal fundraiser 80km away (by road). She certified her “spectacular’’ entrance to the Clifton Springs Golf Club last November to fundraisers as being for “official purposes” as Speaker.
There has also been discussion around another $6000 chartered aircraft trip to Nowra, and two weddings in 2006 and 2007. She claims that as well as attending the nuptials, she held secret discussions with confidential sources in her capacity as chairwoman of parliamentary inquiries. Abbott also claimed for Sophie Mirabella’s wedding, but later refunded the $1000 in travel expenses.
Bishop has also spent more than $260,000 in chauffeured cars and limousines in recent years.
TIME FOR ACTION
THERE may be excellent explanations for some of the apparent liberal spending with taxpayers’ money, but many of the categories are so broad, it’s hard to nail down exactly where our cash has gone.
If office extras are costing tens of thousands, our MPs must be buying an expensive brand of biscuits.
We’re calling for detailed breakdowns and justifications of where the money has been spent. If, as Pyne maintains, MPs are “following the rules”, then perhaps the rules are too lax.
The UK faced a massive scandal in recent years over MPs blithely charging taxpayers for mortgage repayments on second homes, ornamental duck ponds and moat cleaning. At the other end of the scale, MP Rob Wilson was ridiculed for claiming 9p (19c) for a 322m car journey and 60p for his bicycle.
British MPs claims are now vetted by an Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which caps annual spending.
Of course, no one is suggesting Australian MPs are as out of control as the Russians, who had to question how President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov could afford a watch worth more than half a million dollars after he wore the expensive piece at his wedding.
It’s time Australia stopped being so generous with MPs’ expenses and made our politicians accountable to the public.
http://www.news.com.au/national/politics...f547bee3f0
'May your trough floweth over'
Oink oink
It's impossible to keep up with the greediness of the political vermin, however a recent article had a Top 10 trough swillers list and it was worth sharing here. So stand by with the bucket because you are going to need it;
1. STATIONERY KING
KEEN correspondent David Feeney, the Labor member for Batman, spent $152,125.33 in total on “office administrative costs” in 2014.
The Shadow Minister for Justice blew almost $100,000 went on “printing and communications”, including $2225 on 40,000 personalised letterheads in October.
Feeney has a history of loving an old-fashioned missive. Before he became one of the “faceless men” who plotted Kevin Rudd’s overthrow in 2010, he complained to the then-prime minister about a 25 per cent cut to MPs’ printing allowances.
2. BIGGEST BLOCKHEAD
RENOVATION shows are pretty addictive, and South Australian MP Tony Pasin must be even more devoted to The Block than us. He spent a record half a million dollars fitting out his Mount Gambier office, which must have some very special vintage wallpaper.
The Liberal MP’s office cost around $150,000 more than any other this year, but he’s not the only politician with an eye for interiors. We spent more than $4.5 million on fit-outs and upgrades for more than 100 MPs and senators between July to December last year, nine costing more than $250,000. Jacqui Lambie’s Tassie office was second-priciest at $357,000.
The Lodge is currently being refurbished for an expected $8.8 million, and taxpayers previously shelled out $450,000 for Julia Gillard’s Adelaide office fit-out after she was deposed as PM.
Mr Pasin defended his spend, saying the work done was “similar to equivalent newly established premises for MPs”, particularly in regional locations where there are no existing offices.
And in case you were concerned the furniture would pale in comparison to the distressed oak floorboards, the Barker MP also spent $140,130.84 on facilities and $117,512.49 on administrative costs. Now that’s a Reno Rumble.
3. A ROOM OF HIS OWN
SCOTT Morrison also likes a stylish office, spending more than $200,000 on office facilities, where even the Prime Minister only needed $92,973.20.
Sure, that includes power, repairs and maintenance — but it doesn’t include his administrative costs, which reached almost $80,000.
The Minister for Social Services has been questioned over facilities before. In July 2014, the then-Immigration Minister was at the centre of an uproar when it emerged the government had spent $330,000 on a room it had not used in the ten months since it had been refitted. The room, which was apparently intended for border protection media briefings, boasted an $800 doorknob and $10,000-a-month audio visual equipment, plus $30,000 rented stage lights.
4. GRAPE MISTAKE
BISHOP isn’t the first Speaker to run into controversy over their expenses. Peter Slipper won an appeal against three dishonesty convictions over reports he falsified records in order to claim $954 for taxi fares on winery visits.
He racked up more than $8000 on his parliamentary gold travel pass between July and December last year, two of the trips to Canberra coinciding with his court appearances.
The controversial gold pass gives retired MPs a certain number of free flights each year.
The most famous traveller among ex-MPs is former Nationals leader Ian Sinclair who, according to the ABC, took more than 750 taxpayer-funded flights, costing more than $250,000.
5. JOURNEYMAN
NORTHERN Territory Senator Nigel Scullion was last year’s leader in spending on domestic airfares, racking up a solid $73,476.99.
And some of his flights were expensive — a trip from Darwin to Melbourne on 21 September cost him $2,011.39. The same journey on that date this year is currently a modest $300 with Jetstar, and around $1000 flying business class with Virgin Australia.
A trip from Canberra to Sydney cost him a rip-off $1,645.66 on 4 September, and a flight from Melbourne to Canberra came in at $491.54 on 22 August.
On the 27 September, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs dispensed with ordinary flights entirely, spending $14,727.27 on a charter flight from Darwin to Katherine.
6. ANYWHERE I LAY MY HEAD
WARREN Snowdon used $43,615.00 in travel allowances, which covers overnight stays in locations other than their home base. He also spent more than $50,000 on domestic airfares, $13,000 for charters and more than $50,000 on cars.
The Lingiari MP also spent $5000 on family travel, but all those nights away from home still pushed up the phone bill, with the Labor MP also coming in top for telecommunications, at almost $10,000.
Snowdon is another letterhead fan, with 42,000 pieces of the stationery coming in at $3200 in July last year.
7. TRAVELLING IN STYLE
BISHOP’S chartered chopper caused uproar, but she’s not the only MP who loves VIP travel.
Warren Truss is the biggest fan of the luxury option, spending $67,117.27 on it last year, with one Canberra to Brisbane trip costing him $21,570.00 on 13 May.
On September 27-28, the Maryborough MP took chartered trips from Hervey Bay to Roma, Roma to Birdsville, Birdsville to Thargomindah and Thargomindah to Gold Coast, costing taxpayers $24,420.
Charter trips are intended for use when a commercial fare is more expensive, not available or not feasible.
8. FAMILY FIRST
PETER Dutton spent a not-insignificant $28,537.53 on family travel last year, mainly between Brisbane, Canberra and Cairns.
While we admire his dedication to his clan, the member for Dickson certainly spends a large amount on keeping them close by.
Family travel has caused headaches for others, from Burke (see below) to Gillard, who repaid $4243 for her partner’s use of a taxpayer-funded vehicle. Pyne is also under scrutiny for charging taxpayers more than $5000 to take his wife and two of his children to Sydney for Christmas in 2009.
What is the nature of the journeys it is funding for friends and relatives?
9. WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
AND now to the past week, in which Labor frontbencher Burke has landed in hot water over a four-day family trip to Uluru in 2012, when he argues he met with members of the Mutitjulu community and managers of the national park as environment minister.
The Labor MP has also said he will pay back $90 in Comcar fares he charged taxpayers to travel to a Robbie Williams concert in 2014, which was work-related because he met with the promoter as an opposition MP. There was also controversy over him charging taxpayers $48,951 for a six-day ministerial trip to Europe, including first-class flights for a senior adviser who is now his partner.
The Shadow Minister for Finance has been further criticised for using the PM’s luxury jet to attend meetings over three days that didn’t conveniently align with commercial flights, costing the taxpayer $16,000.
10. FLIGHT OF FANCY
FINALLY, back to Bishop, who sparked this new expenses debate after her resignation, following her chartering of a chopper to a Liberal fundraiser 80km away (by road). She certified her “spectacular’’ entrance to the Clifton Springs Golf Club last November to fundraisers as being for “official purposes” as Speaker.
There has also been discussion around another $6000 chartered aircraft trip to Nowra, and two weddings in 2006 and 2007. She claims that as well as attending the nuptials, she held secret discussions with confidential sources in her capacity as chairwoman of parliamentary inquiries. Abbott also claimed for Sophie Mirabella’s wedding, but later refunded the $1000 in travel expenses.
Bishop has also spent more than $260,000 in chauffeured cars and limousines in recent years.
TIME FOR ACTION
THERE may be excellent explanations for some of the apparent liberal spending with taxpayers’ money, but many of the categories are so broad, it’s hard to nail down exactly where our cash has gone.
If office extras are costing tens of thousands, our MPs must be buying an expensive brand of biscuits.
We’re calling for detailed breakdowns and justifications of where the money has been spent. If, as Pyne maintains, MPs are “following the rules”, then perhaps the rules are too lax.
The UK faced a massive scandal in recent years over MPs blithely charging taxpayers for mortgage repayments on second homes, ornamental duck ponds and moat cleaning. At the other end of the scale, MP Rob Wilson was ridiculed for claiming 9p (19c) for a 322m car journey and 60p for his bicycle.
British MPs claims are now vetted by an Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which caps annual spending.
Of course, no one is suggesting Australian MPs are as out of control as the Russians, who had to question how President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov could afford a watch worth more than half a million dollars after he wore the expensive piece at his wedding.
It’s time Australia stopped being so generous with MPs’ expenses and made our politicians accountable to the public.
http://www.news.com.au/national/politics...f547bee3f0
'May your trough floweth over'
Oink oink