this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The median personal income is less than $50K when you take into account unemployed and retired and other income streams, so it’s closer to 10X of the median Australian.

I suspect you are talking about the median Jobs in Australia rather than Personal Income in Australia.

Honestly I’d rather see politician remuneration indexed to minimum wage. I suspect tying the wealth of the decision makers to the minimum wage might actually make a difference to the average Australian.

https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions

[–] lemmington_steele 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

won't they just be more reliant on lobbying gifts to compensate?

[–] Sup3rlativ3 3 points 1 year ago

Where does that point stop though? If people are in it to make money they'll take every opportunity to make more and this has been proven time and time and again.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Maybe if a base pay of $200K isn’t enough for them they’d just leave politics altogether and make room for people who want to help their local community?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

From what I can tell, MPs earn about $200,000. 200/50=4?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Fair point, I was talking about the PM’s pay. The idea that a federal politician’s value (pay is literally the way to compare your perceived value to society) is even over 4 times more than half of your countrymen is an interesting thought to reckon with.

Based on the determination, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's salary will increase from $564,356 to $586,930, and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's salary will increase from $401,561 to $417,623.

MPs will have a base pay of $225,742, up from $217,060 — though they can receive additional pay depending on whether they hold a ministry or shadow ministry, chair a committee, or act as speakers or party whips.