William Forgan-Smith writes: Re “Scott Morrison joins rising record of politicians making the most of AUKUS”: though I would love all former politicians to have at the very least three years freed from Parliament, or certainly retire gracefully (as most do), I’m not positive how, even with laws, that may be enforced.
It seems former prime minister Scott Morrison’s new roles are hardly at the vanguard of probably AUKUS profit-making, and even of a very massive remuneration package deal. Except I’m lacking one thing, the 2 roles recommend that no “huge” companies see him as an actual expertise, only a doorman.
Chris Abbott writes: I feel it’s alarming that so many ex-politicians are joined up with companies flogging this unimaginable undertaking. That is particularly so when billions are tied up in a long-way-away undertaking that ties us, but once more, to America’s apron strings.
Politicians needs to be banned from taking on positions related with any of their latest or proposed authorities actions for at least 5 years. (Crikey has beforehand chronicled former defence minister Christopher Pyne’s AUKUS-linked enterprise pursuits.) Taking these positions straight after leaving doesn’t appear notably moral — doubtlessly exploiting their insider entry for their very own achieve. The nation wants them to step in additional significant methods to beat inequality, poverty and deprivation. They should work for the frequent wealth, the frequent good.
I ponder what number of of them decide to any common voluntary work.
John Ford writes: Thanks for shining some gentle on the ex-pollies lining up on the trough of the AUKUS leftovers.
How did we get entangled in such a squandering of sources when the common taxpayer is struggling? We’d like our greenbacks spent on extra urgent wants: housing the much less well-off and bringing some equity again to Australian society; fixing the disaster of dwelling for First Nations peoples; getting a foothold into PNG to rekindle long-lasting friendships and many others.
How about these retiring has-beens forgo their over-generous pension if they’ve a job or two lined up as reward for his or her generosity to huge enterprise?
Gary Paul writes: This story simply confirms to me that politicians are within the sport for themselves, not for Australia or its residents. One can’t blame them for milking the cow for their very own and households’ monetary future, however why will we working taxpayers nonetheless should help these dodgy characters with all their advantages and freebies?
All politicians should be made accountable, the identical as employees and companies. In the event that they stuff up, they get stuff-all entitlements — solely what everybody else is entitled to.
For previous bastards like me who’ve carried out it laborious, our nice nation is now divided, shonky and filled with wimps.
Chris Toohey writes: Within the (reportedly) well-known phrases of the late nice comic Robin Williams: “Politicians ought to put on sponsors’ jackets like NASCAR drivers, so we all know who owns them!”
Sadly, because the unleashing of the neoliberalism beast within the ’70s, (championed by Milton Friedman and anybody else he might persuade to “drink the Kool-Support”), we now dwell in an setting of widespread company dictatorship, with companies pulling the strings and deciding how greatest to distribute the wealth of the world amongst themselves and utilizing handsomely rewarded politicians as enablers.
The center class might finally realise it’s being duped by politicians and the firms that personal them, and sooner or later might have one thing to say about it. The remainder don’t have an opportunity, with no actual alternative to successfully voice their dismay on the limitless record of disappearing rights and advantages one must anticipate in a humanitarian society.
With out the onset of some type of world disaster to compel the world at massive to provoke change, it’s most likely already too late to hope for any actual societal reform.
George Butt writes: This got here up in 2002 or so when former defence minister Peter Reith joined Tenix. As minister, he was the recipient of any variety of commercial-in-confidence briefings regarding the capabilities of companies and corporations. I’m not suggesting he did something unethical or unlawful, however there must be a major respiratory house between a ministerial accountability — the place a minister, inside probity, has a accountability to deal pretty with all Australian defence companies — and shifting to the personal sector and a single firm in search of means for benefit over its rivals.
Roy Hives writes: We all know what we obtained in trade for Scott Morrison’s treachery: AUKUS; season tickets to America’s wars; Gaza; bombing Yemen; assassinating Iranians; UNRWA; China. And a particular thanks for submarines as an alternative of social housing.
Crime does pay
Pauline Croxon writes: Re “Why do Australian employers preserve ripping off migrant employees?”: some of the alarming points of the deliberate underpayment of migrant employees is the requirement that they stick with the employer who sponsored them to return to Australia, no matter whether or not they’re accurately paid and correctly handled. This authorized hyperlink between migrant employees wanting to remain in Australia and having to place up with no matter their employer desires is probably the most pressing factor that the Labor authorities wants to vary (together with creating some rights for employees within the gig economic system).
As a former industrial relations supervisor I can perceive that some awards and agreements may be complicated to learn, perceive and implement. However underpayments often come up when an employer is making an attempt to scale back wages and prices to the bone somewhat than making an attempt to implement the award and pay the minimal award fee.
Inevitably some will both simply pay what they suppose they will get away with, or what they suppose passes for a minimal wage. There are not any excuses because the Truthful Work Fee often makes it very clear what the minimal hourly fee is, however issues can come up with additional time (paid and unpaid), and shift allowances. The areas the place work is contracted out — akin to safety and cleansing — are notably weak.
Office Relations Minister Tony Burke has quite a lot of work to do but cleansing up the system, however breaking the hyperlink between migration and employment is a vital first step together with growing penalties for underpayments (together with jail time for employers who visitors migrants who find yourself working as slaves).
Anthony McIntyre writes: Our authorized system relies on the thought of deterrents. The concept is to make it so crime doesn’t pay. The issue with wage theft is that crime does pay. If the penalty is lower than the proceeds of crime then the deterrent fails.
It’s time for there to be actual deterrents. Jail time can be good, however at the very least fines which might be many instances the cash they’ve stolen.