Great reading Bryce. Something that I find really interesting and missing from the discussion generally, is, what do politicians get as a part of their salary package that they don't have to pay for, but the tax payer does. In the old days, if you had a company car it was equated as x $ in salary worth.
I don't mind MP's like Emily Henderson who worked her butt off representing Whangarei, the people and the region..........but do all MP's work that hard. And what would the perks add up to? Dinner allowances, air fare reductions.......etc etc. I wonder what that kinda stuff would make up the full salary worth? Other mere mortals out in the workforce pay for lots of work related shizzel out of their own pockets, getting to work, lunches, etc. Thoughts? You mentioned the tax free amount in your article, but is there more?
Feel like this is a little bit of a storm in a teacup Bryce, the increases proposed are 3.4% per annum over the term, which is unlikely to significantly outstrip inflation over this timeframe. Though I get the optics of course in the current circumstances...
Parliamentarians are also not shy of providing for their retirement. Although the gold-plated superannuation fund for MPs who entered Parliament before 1992 seems to have faded away, current MPs have a pleasant subsidy available to them. For any superannuation scheme he or she contributes to, a member may receive a superannuation subsidy up to 2.5 times the amount of the member’s contribution. The maximum subsidy is set at 20 percent of an ordinary member’s salary (for which the MP must contribute 8 per cent).
A curiosity of MPs' superannuation saving is the popularity of private superannuation funds. In Australia there are tens of thousands of these, in New Zealand it seems to be almost only MPs who prefer them to KiwiSaver, perhaps because of the ease of using a private super fund to invest in property. This rather dated report from 2018 tells the story:
Well said Bryce - "peace has broken out on the issue in Parliament" - the political class unite - it's always interesting to follow the money to get to the truth of things - no opposition here from MPs is disgusting
Great explanation of how we got to where we are currently, and the resulting gap growing between a ruling professional elete, and those they rule.
The silence from opposition MP's is especially significant.
Well thought out article thanks. Food for thought.
Great reading Bryce. Something that I find really interesting and missing from the discussion generally, is, what do politicians get as a part of their salary package that they don't have to pay for, but the tax payer does. In the old days, if you had a company car it was equated as x $ in salary worth.
I don't mind MP's like Emily Henderson who worked her butt off representing Whangarei, the people and the region..........but do all MP's work that hard. And what would the perks add up to? Dinner allowances, air fare reductions.......etc etc. I wonder what that kinda stuff would make up the full salary worth? Other mere mortals out in the workforce pay for lots of work related shizzel out of their own pockets, getting to work, lunches, etc. Thoughts? You mentioned the tax free amount in your article, but is there more?
Love your mahi.
The cabinet level MPs are senior management and should be paid as such
Back bench MPs are at best lower middle management . I believe the salary levels are 80-100000
Feel like this is a little bit of a storm in a teacup Bryce, the increases proposed are 3.4% per annum over the term, which is unlikely to significantly outstrip inflation over this timeframe. Though I get the optics of course in the current circumstances...
Maybe rethink how representation should be. Consistently ineffective big government isn't what little NZ needs.
Parliamentarians are also not shy of providing for their retirement. Although the gold-plated superannuation fund for MPs who entered Parliament before 1992 seems to have faded away, current MPs have a pleasant subsidy available to them. For any superannuation scheme he or she contributes to, a member may receive a superannuation subsidy up to 2.5 times the amount of the member’s contribution. The maximum subsidy is set at 20 percent of an ordinary member’s salary (for which the MP must contribute 8 per cent).
A curiosity of MPs' superannuation saving is the popularity of private superannuation funds. In Australia there are tens of thousands of these, in New Zealand it seems to be almost only MPs who prefer them to KiwiSaver, perhaps because of the ease of using a private super fund to invest in property. This rather dated report from 2018 tells the story:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/101854679/private-super-schemes-are-mps-bridges-to-wealth
And even more dated, from 2013:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mps-property-loophole-stings-taxpayers/B57IOICDWJNDR5EGFXYREQY7ZA/
Well said Bryce - "peace has broken out on the issue in Parliament" - the political class unite - it's always interesting to follow the money to get to the truth of things - no opposition here from MPs is disgusting