The Coalition Government, paid by the Australian taxpayer to represent them has walked off the job.
You could call it paid leave. Because theyre certainly not representing anyones interests but their own at the moment.
Theyre taking the money and running.
This debacle is costing Australian tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Thursdays walk out from the Australian Parliament, the first time such an event has occurred, will cost the tax payer more than $44,000 in Minister and MP pay, that could have been better spent representing the best interest of the tax payer, keeping Ministers accountable and passing legislation, rather than funding their circus of a party room.
Not to mention the wasted money of operating the Parliament altogether, which amounts to over $680,000 a day.
The extra day that MPs and Senators will be spending today (Friday 24/8/18) to talk about themselves will also cost taxpayers more than $119, 000.
The only united team in this Parliament is Labor, the only party 100 per cent focused on the Australian people not on ourselves.
The Stats (as at 3pm EST 23/8/18)
Reps Ministers remaining 14 (10 Libs, 4 Nats)
Liberal backbench MPs 50
Liberal Senate Ministers remaining 2
Liberal backbench Senators 23
day of the reps cost 14 ministers plus 50 backbenchers
1 day of party meeting plus TA is 12 ministers plus 73 backbench MPs and senators plus 85 staff
14 Ministers in House of Reps who avoided the scrutiny of question time
$325,147 annual minimum salary of a Minister ($890.80/day)
Total - $6,235.60 for half day out of the Reps and Question Time and 1 day on Party room meeting
https://maps.finance.gov.au/Guidance/Remuneration/Salary
136 non Minister MPs in House of Reps which was adjourned for half the day
Base Salary for MP - $207,100pa ($567.39/day)
Total - $ 38,582.52
According to documents detailing costs of running Parliament, the total cost for the extra day of sitting in 2010 was about $600,000 (Fairfax 28 November 2010 ), which in 2018 dollars is $680,853.28
12 Liberal Senate and Reps Ministers focusing their time on a party room meeting for a day
Total - $10,689.60
73 Liberal backbench MPs & Senators focusing their time on a party room meeting for a day
Total - $ 41,419.47
Extra days travel allowance for 85 Liberal Ministers, MPs and Senators for party room meeting
$285 per day
Total - $24,225
https://www.ipea.gov.au/travel-guidance/ministers-senators-and-members/rates-senators-and-members
85 staff supporting Ministers and MPs for the extra day
Base salary for Gov Staffer in Canberra - $85, 089pa ($233.12/day)
Total - $ 19,815.20
TA for 85 staff to stay on for party room meeting (assume one per Minister/MP/Senator)
$275 per day
Total - $23,375
https://www.ipea.gov.au/travel-guidance/employees-travelling-allowance-rates
These numbers assume minimum pay uplift of Ministers (i.e. not cabinet, and other extra responsibilities or Shadow Minister pays etc).
