Political Perks

Politicians award themselves more money. Why am I not surprised?

QUEENSLAND politicians have decided they should continue to be paid after voters turf them out of office.

New rules will entitle defeated or disendorsed state politicians to a "resettlement allowance" to help them make the transition to ordinary citizen.

It is understood the State Government will soon sign off on an allowance that will hand dumped MPs the full pay of a backbencher for two months – about $17,000 before tax.

The lucrative perk will add to the allowances already afforded to former state MPs which include two return flights from their electorate to Brisbane in the two weeks after an election.

Former politicians are also entitled to unlimited rail travel and an annual return flight for themselves and their spouse to their destination of choice in Australia, New Zealand or Papua New Guinea.

It's tough being a politician, isn't it? And can someone tell me exactly why they deserve an annual airline flight? Here's the big shock moment in the story-

It has won universal support from Queensland political leaders of all persuasions.

I'm astonished.