The flying gravy train?
Australia's national airline has long been known as the 'flying kangaroo', but it might be time to rename it the 'flying former parliamentarian'. Once again freedom of information laws have thrown a harsh light on the perks that MPs enjoy at the taxpayers expense. Although, in this instance, it's the lifelong perks handed to many former MPs.
'The gravy plane: 20,000 freebies,' screamed the Sydney Morning Herald in its front page exclusive. It notes that the Life Gold Pass scheme, under which some former parliamentarians get to enjoy unlimited business class travel anywhere in Australia, has cost the tax-payer $A8.3 million (almost 4 million pounds) since 2001.
Some of the beneficiaries have not sat in parliament for over 20 years. Some have used the free flights to travel, with their wives (who also get this entitlement) to some of the country's fanciest travel destinations, like Hamilton Island in Queensland where that British fella who won the Best Job in the World has just taken up residence (he might have the best job, but clearly he hasn't got the best superannuation package).
Topping the frequent flyer list is the former National Party leader and Speaker, Ian Sinclair, who has taken over 701 flights (a bill which came to $214,545 - although he repaid $11,731).
The rules were revised to limit retired politicians' air time, but more recently retired Canberra 'pollies' who do not qualify, still get 25 free trips a year - or, put another way, just about one every other week.
Historically speaking, Australian MPs are not as well off as they used to be. At Federation in 1901, parliamentarians earned $A400 a year, which was five times the average wage. Now, the base salary is $A127,060, which the Australian Financial Review reports is less than three times the average wage. Their pay has also been frozen for a year, costing backbenchers $5470.
Kevin Rudd gets $A330,356 a year, which makes him Australia's 440th most well renumerated chief executive (he's just above the person who runs the Reject Shop, oddly enough). But, 'fair shake of the sauce bottle, mate,' he does get his own plane, a harbourside residence in Sydney, a place to hang his hat in Canberra, a chauffer-driven white Holden and the occasional dinner with Hugh Jackman and Cate Blanchett.
So are Australia's politicians flying high on the hog?
PS: The Pom Influence thread is still going strong - and many of the entries, as so often happens, are more enlightening than the original blog. Talking of the cultural cross-currents between Britain and Australia, I read a nice story the other day about the British writer and comedian, Stephen Fry, who was paying a visit to Los Angeles. He found himself feeling faintly homesick when he heard the music of Rolf Harris.
I'm 
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