• Australian political expenses scandal: Greens back a watchdog, but say more needs to be done
    11 replies, posted
[quote=ABC News]The Federal Government has won broad support for its planned shake-up of the parliamentary entitlements system in the wake of Sussan Ley's resignation as health minister, but the Greens say it needs to go further. [b]Key points[/b]: - PM announces independent tribunal to monitor parliamentary expenses - Labor, Greens and Nick Xenophon give support to plan - The head of the UK's Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority says the system will help rebuild trust in politicians Ms Ley resigned on Friday following questions over numerous expense claims she made for trips to the Gold Coast. [b]In a bid to limit the fallout, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a new independent parliamentary expenses authority would be established to monitor and oversee parliamentary expenses, based on a similar system in the United Kingdom[/b]. Labor has given in principle support to the plan, as has South Australian senator Nick Xenophon who said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the planned changes. Greens leader Richard Di Natale said the Greens would back the idea, but would push the Government to go even further. "When we return to Parliament, yes we'll support the creation of this authority — we think it's a positive step," he said. "But we'll also be insisting through legislation that we establish a national anti-corruption watchdog and that this body sits within that."[/quote] Read more of the article, and watch a segment of Greens leader Richard Di Natale, at [url]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-14/xenophon,-di-natale-support-parliamentary-expenses-watchdog/8182464[/url] [b]Which expenses are under fire[/b]? [quote=ABC News]Under the Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990, all politicians have their travel within Australia covered if they are on Parliamentary or electorate business — including first class tickets on scheduled commercial services. If heading overseas, these entitlements can extend to clothing allowances and medical services. Politicians are also entitled to a travel allowance for overnight stays, with varying rates for different positions and locations. For example, all politicians can claim $273 for an overnight stay in Canberra but this increases to $498 in Karratha. Office holders are given larger allowances in some locations, while the Prime Minister is limited to $564 for each overnight stay in a place other than an official establishment or the Prime Minister's home base. ... Health Minister Sussan Ley's decision to step down from cabinet amid an expenses scandal has reignited calls for tougher restrictions on politicians' entitlements. [b]The Nigerian-born former pilot has faced a public backlash after purchasing a $795,000 luxury apartment while on a taxpayer-funded trip to the Gold Coast[/b]. Despite insisting two separate investigations will prove she broke no rules, Ms Ley has admitted she failed the "pub test". ... Ms Ley's travel arrangements were booked before the sweeping review, which was launched after former speaker Bronwyn Bishop used chartered helicopters to attend party fundraisers. [b]Ms Bishop resigned in August 2015 after a fierce public backlash for spending more than $5,000 on a flight from Melbourne to Geelong, a mere two-hour drive[/b]. The review, which was instigated by former prime minister Tony Abbott but has not been acted on, found politicians were "undermining public confidence" and called for travel arrangements to present value for money.[/quote] Read more at [url]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-09/politicians-entitlements-and-why-they-are-under-fire/8170082[/url]
We do need an national level ICAC stat.
Yeah this is straight after NSW gutted their ICAC The cheek of this is while this is happening loads of poor people are receiving fines for debts they haven't even incurred due to the liberal party's terrible attitude towards social welfare [editline]15th January 2017[/editline] The greens are absolutely right to insist on this. More needs to be done to combat political corruption in Australia
This mixed in whats happening with Centrelink atm is so fucked.
I find it interesting that the greens are calling people out for expenses when two of their senators are in the top 10 list for biggest spenders. [url]http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/greens-in-top-10-spenders-on-flights/news-story/dc035cd64ef16582f8acde3081d055e0[/url] [quote]Greens leader Richard Di Natale and the party’s community •services spokeswoman Rachel Siewert are among the top 10 spenders on taxpayer-funded flights despite loudly condemning excesses by Coalition and Labor politicians. Senator Siewert claimed more expenses for domestic flights in the first half of 2016 than her fellow West Australians, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann. Her travel spending was the fifth highest, while Senator Di Natale’s was 10th of the 226 members of both houses of parliament. Senator Siewert claimed $63,934 in travel expenses in six months while Senator Di Natale racked up $56,526. The Greens leader has sought the moral high ground on expenses claims following the controversy over Health Minister Sussan Ley’s Gold Coast travel claims, and has called for a new national anti-corruption watchdog to identify and punish politicians rorting the system. Ms Ley, who was forced to stand aside from her portfolio on Monday pending an inquiry into her travel claims, could discover her fate as soon as today, with Malcolm Turnbull keen to bring the travel expenses debate to an end. Senator Di Natale criss-crossed the country in the lead-up to the July 2 election while the long flight across the Nullabor means West Australian politicians generally have higher expense claims. However, Senator Siewert’s claims exceed those of many of her state counterparts, notably Ms Bishop ($51,212), Senator Cormann ($50,683), fellow Green Scott Ludlam ($46,692), and Assistant Health Minister Ken Wyatt ($46,353). Her spending was only topped by three West Australians — Justice Minister Michael Keenan ($83,808), Social Services Minister Christian Porter ($77,469), Employment Minister Michaelia Cash ($73,550) — and Labor leader Bill Shorten ($71,182).[/quote]
[QUOTE=download;51672722]I find it interesting that the greens are calling people out for expenses when two of their senators are in the top 10 list for biggest spenders. [url]http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/greens-in-top-10-spenders-on-flights/news-story/dc035cd64ef16582f8acde3081d055e0[/url][/QUOTE] Also amusing considering how much area each of their elected officials have to cover compared to a labor or lib nat. They're still beaten by members from the two majors, despite the fact the majors have members all over the place. I do remember the federal Green candidate in my electorate being annoyed how the incumbent Greens were claiming campaign travel expenses last year like the two majors, though. If they had the ICAC they'd been agitating for since at least 2009 maybe none of the three would be pulling off such nonsense
Out of curiosity can any UK people tell us what their expenses authority is like? Also: [QUOTE]The latest expenses scandal came to light after it was revealed Ms Ley claimed travel costs to visit the Gold Coast, where she purchased an $800,000 apartment, during a work-related trip to Brisbane.[/QUOTE] Pretty disgusting when they've been making people pay back Centrelink debts are aren't legitimate and deliberately fucking with Centrelink so it's almost impossible to correct the record. Why do we keep voting for these guys again?
When do Sussan Ley and Julie Bishop form their own political party to stick it to the establishment?
[QUOTE=Whomobile;51672859]Out of curiosity can any UK people tell us what their expenses authority is like? Also: Pretty disgusting when they've been making people pay back Centrelink debts are aren't legitimate and deliberately fucking with Centrelink so it's almost impossible to correct the record. Why do we keep voting for these guys again?[/QUOTE] because you forget at polling day what happened because you've been brought up in a family that votes labor/LNP/Greens so you do the same because the member of your local area is actually good and you dont mind him/her compared to the party because you care more about policies than behaviour because safe seats because why the fuck not
There's one solution to this problem and our constitution reflects this, they get an allowance for getting themselves to Parliament and that's it but even then you could argue that they get paided a bit more than the people in Parliament back in 1910 and as a result can front the expensives themselves.
[QUOTE=download;51672722]I find it interesting that the greens are calling people out for expenses when two of their senators are in the top 10 list for biggest spenders. [url]http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/greens-in-top-10-spenders-on-flights/news-story/dc035cd64ef16582f8acde3081d055e0[/url][/QUOTE] Better than rorting the system then denying there's a problem in the first place Let's take a stance on policy here and just agree that the greens are right in asking for more to be done in this area
[QUOTE=download;51672722]I find it interesting that the greens are calling people out for expenses when two of their senators are in the top 10 list for biggest spenders. [url]http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/greens-in-top-10-spenders-on-flights/news-story/dc035cd64ef16582f8acde3081d055e0[/url][/QUOTE] So what if their expenses are high, as long as they're actually using it for relevant things, and not taking taxpayer money to watch footy games, go buy a house or attend party fundraisers.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.