Albo to the rescue

[facthunter]

I think she was persuaded to attend to highlight the show by the Promoters.. Ministers get about 1/2 of what top public servants get. They don't have CASH to splash unless they are on the TAKE. Serving the Wealthy. Nev

[onetrack]

God helps those who help themselves, but God help anyone caught helping themselves. Old sign from an orchard.

[onetrack]

Quote

Ministers get about 1/2 of what top public servants get

And right there, is part of what's wrong in this country. Add in the number of top public servants "on the make" as well, and we're well on the way to being a 3rd world country.

So many of the pricks getting caught lately with helping themselves, based on straight-out criminal greed. The penalties should be doubled for these greedy pricks in exalted positions.

 

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-centre/media-release/commonwealth-employee-among-three-people-charged-over-alleged-multi

 

https://www.nacc.gov.au/convictions

 

https://www.counterfraud.gov.au/case-studies/senior-public-servant-involved-australias-largest-public-sector-fraud

 

We've one prick who was working for Fremantle Ports Authority, he scammed $5M out of the Authority, took off for the high life overseas, and they still haven't caught him after more than 6 years.

 

https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/perth-family-s-alleged-freo-ports-rort-blows-out-to-5m-as-contractors-hit-with-new-charges-20200915-p55vqw.html

 

Edited 11 hours ago by onetrack

[Marty_d]

5 hours ago, facthunter said:

I think she was persuaded to attend to highlight the show by the Promoters.. Ministers get about 1/2 of what top public servants get. They don't have CASH to splash unless they are on the TAKE. Serving the Wealthy. Nev

Base salary $233,660. As a cabinet minister she gets additional 72.5%, so add $169,403. Puts her a bees dick over $400k.

Are you saying that someone on $400k, who already gets her own free travel and prime seat at any sporting event she wants, can't afford to pay for her family out of her own pocket?

[red750]

They chose to put themselves in that position. Oh my, I work so hard.  sniff, sob.

 

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. They might be on less than the top public servants, but it's better than Joe Bloggs, who has to cover his own expenses.

 

 

(ps.) Meant to send this reply this afternoon, forgot to press Submit.

[Jerry_Atrick]

I sort of agree with Kev on this.. Wells is the minister for communications and sport. So what the news isn't telling is is whether she is at the sporting events in an official capacity or not. If she is in an official capacity, it is understandable, for instance, that the commonwealth cars are waiting for her (it's not like they can discharge the driver for the day and then have them come back, I wuld guess - they aren't a taxi company). And if two tickets are given - then it is sort of natural her husband comes along.. Sort of...

 

The trip to New York were for her and her two staffers. I am not sure how long they were for, but it is $33K for each, on average. So, flights are likely to be at least business class.. say $10 - $15K each. First class, which one would expect a minister to travel will be c. $20K (they should get a discount, but lets just go with the numbers). That is between 30 and $60K gone. Do we know the number of nights she and her staffers were there?

 

Grand Hyatt hotel web lookup starts from USD $272/night. No doubt the rooms for the staffers can be the more basic room, but the minister should have a decent room, woth probably a separate living/working room to her bedroom for some privacy. So that won't be am Air BnB.. That is, of course, unless there are suites in the embassy - but the embassy (or highh commission) is probably in Washington DC.

 

Now, before you fellas shout, yeah, she can go cattle like the rest of us, and why shoudl dhehave a fancy suite, as someone who extensively travelled for business, the aircraft and hotel rooms are like mobile offices. You do work in them. I have written a whole budget paper between London and Prague; prepared for meetings, presentations, and the like; after leaving the office and usually some dinner with clients/colleagues, there is the recapping the days events and preparing for the next day. At the same time, you have to deal with things back at the office and other sites/clients you deall with. It seems glamorous and a jolly to many, but a proper business trip (I don't mean attending conventions - and I have never done them) is hard graft, or yakka in the Aussie vernacular. However, I do miss it. 

 

So, so what if she had a few chateau de Hoity Toity wines or something else.. 

 

But that is for her only. We used to get (and give) tickets for 2 to events - I would always take a work colleague.  They also worked for the firm and did a lot - so it was only fair. And I can't recall ever paying for my family to go on a holiday - even if it was to bring them along with me for the ride. That shold not happen, unless it is exceptional.. like a carer relationship or come extraordinary circumstance. In fact, I used to bring my partner along with me for business trips and pay for the flight - the company poicked up the hote because the room was the same price whether it was one or two people. Occasionally it was more for two, in which case I paid the difference.  I did use frequent flyer miles for her sometimes, but, these are a perk, not used by the company and thankfully here, not fring benefits taxed. 

 

But that is the thing. Real business travel is taxing, you can't get a lot done with your personal life that you can at home. Some perks should be tolerated - it is a question of proprotionality.