Lobby group delighted with Parliamentary pay decision

MEDIA RELEASE: 3rd March 2015

“We are delighted to see that the politicians have recognised the greed and selfishness embodied in their initial response to their remuneration increases and are now proposing to amend the appropriate legislation. About time! ”

says Peter Malcolm National Secretary Income Equality Aotearoa NZ Inc.

To have their pay increases pegged to the average public sector pay increases in the preceding year is a move in the right direction although it does not address the obscene pay levels of top public servants or that politicians’ pay over the last 25 years or so has increased much faster than many other workers. There was time when back-bench MPs were paid about the same as a Head of Department of an average sized faculty in a moderately sized secondary school. The MPs now get about double the school teacher says Malcolm

The growth in inequality in New Zealand over the last 25 years is amongst the worst of the OECD countries and the significant pay increases in the top level of public servants and politicians have certainly helped that growth. We know that high levels of inequality are bad for many aspects our society. It is hoped that this move by the politicians to curb their excessive and unfair pay increases may herald a new approach to solving one of the worst of our county’s problems, that of inequality.

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