Politicians travel rorts.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/nursing-homes-story-headline-20161228-gtiqc6.html

Now while I begin with something completely different, just keep this in mind while you read about an impulse buy of the minister because they just simply happen to be there at that time.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/...e-jet-because-commercial-flights-not-suitable
Clearly, the minister had planned this commitment far in advance and had her office make arrangements for her to be there in plenty of time. Something must have gone wrong for the need to charter a flight for the minister to make her schedual.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/...e-jet-because-commercial-flights-not-suitable
So what was this very important meeting that would cause the minister to need special treatment??? NOT A WORD. But not only that, the need for her to return to meet parliamentary commitments in a hurry, oh AFTER the quick side trip to buy a small token of appreciation, you know that impulse buy everybody gets. You know when you buy a trinket we just decided on the spot we wanted. I wish I could spend $800,000 on an impulse buy, but I do digress.

This absolutely does not add up. Held up in Canberra for some unknown reason this minister and her office think they can claim to be necessary for her to attend and then $12000 later up to Queensland. BUT she needed to return to Canberra for parliament forget the reason for the trip, forget the activities while away and clearly forget the truth of rorting the travel expenses.

Now we realise the elderly in nursing homes are particularly hard on the health budget. After all they laze around all day on the government ticker being treated like royalty, waited on hand and foot. Maybe they could do without some of that royal treatment, after all the huge debts and you know the like. How on earth is the health minister supposed to get the money to pay for her extravagant need to be particular places when SHE desires. Bit like a trip to the mall.

NO, THIS MINISTER NEEDS TO GO. Turnbill needs to stop this rorting of Australians money (NOT government money but the people’s money) while he is demanding everybody else tighten their belts and go without. Why did she fly to Queensland??? Apparently it made good media to be at that particular hospital while she made a policy announcement. Clearly $12000 for a media grab, Complete BS, Turnbill needs to sack this minister. Bishop I could understand but this is completely BS.
And the public continues to suffer this ministers excuses while they suffer the cuts that are supposedly needed…

 

Hi Garry,
for once we share the same opinion, she needs to go.
Looks like her main interest is what's going into her own purse....
Regards

 

Clearly, these politicians think they can get away with such rorting by paying some of it back.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-...t-of-taxpayer-funded-gold-coast-trips/8168718

If they are not discovered everything is fine but when they get caught, “Oh sorry, I will pay that back”

It is about time these politicians are made to answer these corrupt practices. Never should this have been a question of propriety as it shows clearly they are ready to rip Australians off whenever they can while telling the people they need to tighten their belts to pay for the blatant rorting.

As the OP points out the elderly who reside in care are having their mental health issues ignored by the government, why you might ask??? I bet they will say “they need to reduce the health budget to pay for all and these people reside in nursing homes so are no danger to anybody”. I would point out that majority of elderly who are residing in care are doing so through need and this need either compounds mental health issues or creates them. Either way, NO group in Australia needs to have their mental health addressed more than those elderly in care.

BUT no, the health minister needs to make it to Auctions at the tax payer expenses for an impulse buy not even Bill Gates would make without considering if it is worthwhile. I just wonder, has Gina had surgery??? I don’t even believe She would be so bold as to make such a comment.

It is time these politicians are held accountable for these corrupt activities and not allowed to just push them aside with the old “I’ll just pay that back”. This minister deserves the sack, she deserves to be stood down from politics altogether. Obied went to jail, Ley gets a pass while telling Australians who desperately need the funding she is rorting that she needed to be here, there and everywhere so she has to charter flights personally to get to personal activities…

I said it before, Dastyari should be charged with corruption and kicked for office of any public kind, Now we have Ley gaining personal benefit from the tax payer wallet. How deep is this corruption??? Ley should be held just accountable as Dastyari get rid of them both, and have independent body investigate ALL these politicians with a view to clearing out the corruption. It is ABOUT time these politicians started working for the Australian people and not simply themselves.

 

Now counting down until she goes.

 

Standing aside is not enough, questions on other trips that have surfaced are being asked and clearly the answers are lacking. New year’s travel to meet with a "business woman". Forget she is a past donor to the Liberal party and the fact Ley was invited by this business woman to party with her at the gold coast but not just one year but two on the tax payers purse.

I am not sure how anybody could justify this personal benefit gained for no other purpose than to party at the beginning of the year with their wealthy mates. It just begs belief that this minister could say such a thing and still claim there is nothing wrong.

We now have two very blatant corrupt activities just brushed under the table as a mistake. Zenaphone may be able to bring in a new independent body to examine the travel claims but still, I am sceptical if the independence when the politicians select their oversight body.

We should not be counting down, clearly she should already be gone…

 

Happy New Year all.

This is an interesting article, it provides a break down of individual members expenses. There is way too much money going towards office upgrades etc. It's rediculous the amount of money they need to spend.

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-...side-over-travel-expenses/8169410?pfmredir=sm

 

The tendrils are starting to reach out.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...yerfunded-melbourne-trip-20170110-gtozl8.html

Not sure exactly how THIS particular interest went but at present I would question the validity. Attendance at the Australian open, and a football match while picking up the keys to his new purchase. Sounds pretty flimsy to me.

I am sure however that there are more to come, I just wonder just how far these politicians will go??? At the moment it is all guns blazing by the opposition, as they think they have the upper hand. Small look about seems to make one query why on both sides office and travel expenses are considerably more extravagant than the PM and the (I wish I could avoid) the Opposition leader in several cases.

Of course these people believe they have done nothing wrong. Maybe they have not broken laws (although I would suggest at least two have) but they certainly have breach propriety. The thing that is considerably disconcerting is that they totally accept that this type of thing is ok. Clearly showing that left to their own devices ripping the tax payer off would be acceptable.

Investigate ALL politicians’ spending and stop covering the corruption when they get caught. They should be sacked from parliament not just stood down to so they don’t rort the system as much. What a load of BS, investigating themselves for impropriety and breach of law, you bet they will find no issue…

 

Grounds for a royal commission??? lol.

Perhaps finally some light can be shed on this rorting. Worst kept secret. I think if they start sweeping in earnest we may find we have no politicians left. I imagine they have all dipped their grubby little fingers into this lucrative little bipartisan policy. If I was the opposition I would shut up and offer no comment should they risk the attention turning on them.

 

The saddest thing is that they earn a lot, and I mean a lot, and it is still never enough.....
Reg.

 

The problem in my opinion is that they are not payed enough. If we payed them more we may get a better, and more importantly, smarter candidate. I don't know.

The fact that most of them lack a certain intelligence makes it hard for them to see right from wrong. You see it with young footballers. All this money and notoriety and no brains in which to control it. It's like some cruel joke.

My grandfather always said that all a fool needs is another fool to validate his actions for him to accept it as rightful. In parliament we see a lot of fools.

 

sp,
I think at the federal level they earn around 300k a year. Not enough?
I believe greed is mankind's biggest problem, and even if you pay them 1m each, they will still want more and more and more....
Regards

 

Probably right Cats, but greed has been around since Adam was a boy and will be around long after we have departed. This is the main reason socialism has never worked in a broader sense, and the main reason it never will.

 

Yes, you are right there.
However I still think a healthy mix between capital and socialism is the way to go....
Never giving us hope.
With this greedy Trump on the rudder who knows what happens next.
How can a nation get so low?
We had our dark point with Abbott, in a different way though........
Regards

 

I do find it interesting that you are able to single individuals out.

I also find it interesting that you only single out right wingers, when the left have had their fair share as well. Tony Burke comes to mind in recent times, but he didn't stand down, he opted for the pay back scheme. probably a dollar down and a dollar a week. lol.

 

Hmmm,
I plainly associate capitalism more with greed, hence Trump.
But you are right, there is plenty of bad on the left side of the fence as well....
Regards

 

honestly, do your really believe if you pay somebody more they will not then take advantage of a system that allows them to squander funds for travel and accommodation for personal activities they will not do so???

Seriously, how much tax is avoided by people who earn more in a day than almost ALL Australian’s earn in a year??? When you see people minimising their tax liability so as not to pay tax then you have to see that no matter how much people are paid, if they think they can get away with rorting people out of their hard earn cash, they will do so and think nothing of it.

The problem is not that they are not paid enough, as no matter how much they are paid, it will never be enough. The problem is people think nothing of ripping others off. Be it government or private sector, people believe it is fine as long as you don't get caught. That sentiment goes a long way back, as the adoration of such character’s as Ned Kelly and the like. Thieves who are worshiped more than the people who worked hard for the growth of the community and country.

Raising the spectre of the likes of overpaid sporting stars and community figures is something of interest in this question. As I allude to most generally everywhere, we are made to consider the feelings of these people when they get caught for taking drugs and so on when all should be condemning them. For example, just as Ley and Dastyari should be charged and tossed from parliament for their serious breaches of personally benefiting of public position and funds so too should these football players and sport stars be sacked never to return when they breach codes of conduct and legality.

So the problem is, while Australian’s continue to allow these people to remain in positions that rewards them for doing nothing but rorting, do not expect change. Both these corrupt politicians remain as representatives of electorates and both will have the ability to return to front bench when people have forgotten. WHILE both have the firm belief they are both entitled and acceptable to rort the people from their hard earn funds to keep them in a lifestyle they believe they deserve.

Considering the Australia today, I believe we see MORE fools supporting them...

 

No I don't believe if you pay them more they will not do the same. It is a comment to highlight the sheer desperation of the situation.

Who is going to throw these politicians from parliament? other politicians? I don't think so, as they are more often than not guilty of the same indulgence. No we would have to wait until an election, but then we as voters have such short memories.

The travel rorting is not so much a politician thing, but a societal problem, as you allude to. It is simply a symptom of a degeneration in a society.

The most watched programme in the history of television is Survivor. This is a show built on greed, distrust, shafting, and lies. Sound like anything familiar? But we as viewers loved it. We embraced the concept with alarming adulation. Why?

How many people stop and go back into a store when a mistake in the change from the cashier results in your favour? Not many I expect.

Our greed is growing, and our lack of respect to fellow beings is deteriorating. Our selfishness as a people at an all time high, and our apathy about our own behaviour is disturbing. BUT, we have no drama in deriding others who partake in the very same behaviour we seem to ignore in ourselves.

Now make no mistake, this rorting of tax payers money has to stop. Rorting in general must be stamped out. But perhaps we need to look at our own actions as well, and this may well explain as to why these politicians feel they have an inherent right to rort.

Although not at the same financial level as what is occurring in parliament, I doubt many of us turn down free government(bribe for votes) money in the greater interest of society. No we sneak down and buy a television, or go on holiday to the Gold Coast for NYE as it seems.

Yes we employ these politicians to do a job, and yes we have the right to demand higher standards from them, and when they don't live up to the standards we have the right to demand they be sacked.

BUT while we are at it, perhaps we should sack ourselves on the charge of hypocrisy.

 

Ley has finally resigned from her position when I really believe she should be charge over the corrupt activities. Spotlight has been cast on others for claiming expenses for variety of activities. Many fishing trips for punters to attempt to disrupt government and opposition politicians to support their own personal preference rather than removing those with corrupt intent. You know the pretenders want to sound intelligent while blasting those they disagree with.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/ju...k=b4e7a04823f1a8acfb0616deb4e6df55-1484355789
People throwing light on several of Bishops outings have begged the question of what is appropriate.

Personally, I do not see a problem with attending sporting events or other high profile events on the tax dollar while representing government. I do have a problem attending private parties such as new year’s parties on the public dime.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...party-donor-sarina-russo-20170109-gtoea3.html
Frankly, if she was to attend it could only be as a coalition representation so the party should pay, as her only contribution is party donor. The fact she gained several lucrative contracts from this government, well I think many get the picture of how this corruption has been glossed over…
But yet again we see more

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/...ers-attend-pms-private-new-years-eve-function

I am sorry. But what a rort??? If you want to make some extra cash in the government, throw a party and charge the taxpayer the bill. Call it a work expense and the sky is the limit.

Seriously, Xenophone began with a reasonable idea and all the government has agreed without acknowledging his first point. Oh, just to be sure, I still consider Xenophone the bastard child of the ALP but you cannot oppose because you don’t like him. BUT as all the cross benchers have been saying, “far more needs doing”

This is corruption, no question about it and people turning a blind eye to it simply because it does not affect them are the true thieves of society.

 

I hear what you say about the wages, but this is the argument by many that is used to justify or excuse others rorting the system giving the politicians the ability to worm their way out of political disgrace. As we both agree that paying them more will not change the situation the point of raising… We could go on…

By not calling this rorting for what it is, corruption, I too give way to current societal acceptance. I do infer to it but if I was to directly state it many would simply suggest it is a personal attack. So as I continue to allude to (again we seem in agreeance) this is due considerably to society that not only these politicians believe it is acceptable to these corrupt activities but they are allowed to continue.

As to the question of who should decide if they should be in parliament, to suggest it must wait until an election is sort of in contrast as to what is happening with Rodney Culleton. I believe the RULES should play a large part on who should be in parliament. As I point out it is my belief (My opinion) these politicians should be charged the fact they fall on their sword is simply the easy way out while remaining in safe seats to return in future with the same intent.

Changes should be made that if you breach this rule or that, you should be sacked. That way it is up front as to what does occur. Simply saying it is not for other politicians to decide is a bit of a copout.

As for the point of hypocrisy, that does play both ways…

 

As it stands it is currently the politicians that make the decision of dismissal and our only say at this point is on election day. That was my point. It may change, it may not. What I do know is that if this was at corporate level and it was company money, it would mean instant dismissal and possible legal action. You are correct, simply falling on a metaphorical sword seems to exhonerate the guilty from more appropriate action.

 

Well if they are charged and found guilty of an offence then they Automatically are disqualified from parliament at this very moment. Considering that legal action would take far longer than the current electoral cycle then it is irrelevant to that point. However, clear rule changes to make certain actions of misconduct to be automatic expulsion would go a long way of prevention along with open accountability.

Perhaps if one is caught breaching conduct to a certain degree would call for a by-election in their seat as well...

There are many things that could change and I believe that is what we debate when questions are raised. I know many consider that a debate is simply to complain about the other side (as we see in other threads) but it is to introduce new or better ideas. I can sit and point out the corruption that both sides do all day, but that is no help. OR we could discuss changes to make these corrupt activities a thing of the past. We could discuss changes to make corruption less acceptable not just in rhetoric but in practice. Or we can just sit complain, moan and cry about things while just insulting those who disagree...

 

More questionable travel expenses by another minister,

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...-weekend-trips-to-broome-20170114-gtrg3o.html

When I first heard this claim I was rather sceptical that the trips could be justified. After all how many times can a person travel to this destination on $23,000???

from the same link.

Talk about fishing for a bite, media frenzy anybody??? Come on 5 trips in 5 years, the credibility of the media takes an extreme hit when they put people to trial and hang them in this manner. The only thing that could be criticized about this is the cost, which seems rather high and the fact he only visited 5 times in 5 years.

I wonder how serious these changes will be and exactly how far this new independent body will go. I do believe government should allow or make it part of the agenda of the new body to examine past expanses as well.

 

Have they not heard of videoconferencing? Sorry we run a health service throughout rural Australia based on teleconferencing. If it is good enough for a doctor to do a remote examination of a patient then surely meetings can be held this way

BTW - glad to see the action on this - Political rorting should never be tolerated

 

Again I have to question not just the flights but the time it takes for that flight. If we want the ministers to be productive then trips here there and everywhere, chew into the working day - even if you are chauffeur driven.

Crap! If Skype is good enough for the average person surely it can be used by Ministers - and yes I understand the hacking risks but they can be overcome

 

I agree completely, I have been seriously questioning the rorting in the health sector for decades, In my opinion there is much more going and not just the ministers.

As illustrated we have considerable amount of money being rorted in this sector and yet we have a government telling everybody they have to pay the bills because there is not enough money.

Political rorting is nothing but political corruption, I am just afraid the action will cosmetic not real.