GUEST BLOG: Willie Jackson – Freezing MP wages was the right thing to do
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment have just published their assessment of Jacinda’s decision last year to not go ahead with the annual MP pay rise. It saved the taxpayer $750 000, but beyond the saving, Jacinda’s decision last August to put a freeze on all MPs salaries was the right thing to do.
When we have so many Kiwis struggling to make ends meet on low wages and benefits, the idea of agreeing to politicians automatically gaining a 3% pay rise was wrong. The decision to freeze all MPs wage rises shows the values of this Government and who we are striving to be as leaders and representatives.
I’m proud to be a Minister in a Government where we are prepared to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
Willie Jackson is the Minister for Employment
cd someone knock up some sort of patting-self-on-back-award – and rush it to w.jackson…c/o parliament..
what a pile of self-serving horse-shit..
Now if they told us that in the same piece of legislation they were also going to raise benefits, in line with the real cost of living, as researched by the Living Wage campaign, that would be something for Willie to crow about.
he’s got nothing to crow about…that has to be a on a short-list for some kind of ‘crap’things-mps-said’-award 2019
Willie Jackson puts the labour back into The Labour Party. You’ll get an increase in benefits payments when the taxpayer has to be compensated for a surplus in the budget.
i thought he more puts the self in self-serving..
You thought wrong.
Reminds of this bit from Willie Jackson Orewa Speech
“The myth of Maori separatism is created because people would prefer to think of righteous Maori grievance as something that requires separating so that the majority don’t have to see it, hear it or interact with it.”- https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/07/29/breaking-willie-jacksons-explosive-orewa-speech-attacking-don-brash/
So you are wrong. The Minister for Employment is making good on his speech by shutting down separate class systems.
Morally, it was the right thing to do. Freeze the MPs wages. It did send a message and indicate a position. I hope they keep following through. Materially, for the 70% of taxpayers/citizens/people struggling to meet the costs of living, it makes no difference. Many of us are struggling to survive, to pay the bills, to eat, to have somewhere to live. Why should those who have enough get even more when so many don’t even have enough? Something is wrong with our economy when the government is paying moteliers to house renters and home owners are air b’n’b-ing their homes to tourists. Something is wrong with our economy when 70% of workers are struggling to meet the costs of living. Either wages need to rise significantly, or costs of living have to come down significantly.
“Freezing” their salaries is a meaningless gesture designed to fool dummies into believing that Govt is “on your side”, when nothing could be further than the truth.
Doesn’t matter who is in – the longterm negative changes to societal wellbeing since the 1980’s PROVE that “Govt” does NOT serve the people’s interests AT ALL.
agree with what you say – but they are promising a budget to address all those issues…so really..jury has to be out until then…
then- if they don’t deliver – unleash the hounds…
A good start, but start must be the operative.
“Until you change the way Money works you
change nothing,”- Michael C. Ruppert.