What If We Paid Politicians What They're Worth?

Republicans have called for the US Transport Secretary’s wage to be cut to just $1 a year. I like it.

Georgia representative Marjorie Taylor Green moved the motion as the House debated ways to save money.

She accused Pete Buttigieg of wasting time calling roads ‘racist’ and flying around on private jets to collect LGBTQ awards, rather than strengthening America’s infrastructure - all of which is true.

Her idea to slash his $220,000 a year wage to just a buck was, as you would expect, voted down.

But even if the move was endorsed, it’s likely Buttigieg would figure he still comes out in front when you take into account insider trading opportunities afforded by being part of the Biden Administration.

The real question for us here though, is whether we should consider similar cuts in Canberra?

I’d vote to pay Prime Minister Anthony Albanese just a dollar. He could spend it at a Duty Free store somewhere in the world, since he spends more time there than in Australia.

But a dollar a year would be far too much money to pay Energy Minister Chris Bowen. We should be paid $275 a year for putting up with him. See what I did there?

Treasurer Jim Chalmers could be paid $1 a year, but I fear that by the time I took the dollar out of my pocket and handed it to him, it would be worth only 80c.

Scott Morrison would - obviously - get $5.

A dollar for being Health Minister, a dollar for being Finance Minister, a dollar for being Resources Minister, a dollar for being Home Affairs Minister and a dollar for being Treasurer.

He earned it during the pandemic.

Now I know what a lot of you are thinking. We should cut the Greens salaries to $1.

But I have a better idea.

After their dramatic walkout in the middle of Senate proceedings this week, we should promise to keep them on full wages … provided they don’t come back!