Why would you run a country for $300,000?

krisbarry · 7 September 2006

I am really intrigued at why you would run for Prime Minister and be paid $300,000. Why put your private life out in the public? Why be subjected to the rants and raves of 20 million people etc?

Not to mention all the global concerns...

I would much rather be a CEO of a company and earn this kinda money and not have to deal with the political life.

Anyone got any thoughts...

nioka · 7 September 2006

Johnny loves the POWER. Which ,by the way, seems to have gone to his head.

dubiousinfo · 7 September 2006

There is no chance of the Prime Minister being able to run a profitable company.

The skills to be a politician are very different to those required to be a sucessful CEO.

If a CEO did the things politicians do (especially the PM), they would be prosecuted & jailed.

Bloveld · 7 September 2006

Its in the genes. Its the need to dominate our enviroment. Which has made us the dominant animal.

tech/a · 7 September 2006

There is no opening in the Bush administration.

OR

Pay peanuts and you get Monkeys.

Always thought Packer or Murdoch would have been worth a term but then they would be $20 mill minimum.
But must say I loved Packers stance on taxation!! He had my vote.

TimmyC · 7 September 2006

i think they should pay pollies more but give them the same super deals as the rest of us.

Duckman#72 · 7 September 2006

dubiousinfo said:
There is no chance of the Prime Minister being able to run a profitable company.

The skills to be a politician are very different to those required to be a sucessful CEO.

If a CEO did the things politicians do (especially the PM), they would be prosecuted & jailed.

Rubbish!

It is about management skills, communication and surrounding yourself with the right people.

A CEO of a company actually gets it easier than the PM because they can appoint the people they want - not inherit brain dead public servants. If the PM farts on his morning walk the media get a whiff of it - don't tell me the PM gets away with more than the anonymous CEO of a company. The only reason AWB is being hauled over the coals is because of the political tie in. Most people(particularly the farmers) couldn't give a damn if they paid kickbacks to Saddam.

Its the cushy CEO's that pay themselve absurd amounts as salary then option top ups while watching the SP track south that really gets to me. Then they get the spear and take another couple million in payouts.

Duckman

wayneL · 7 September 2006

There must be a few side benefits... Keating was valued at 70 million at one stage. Hawke isn't short of a buck either. hmmmmmmm

dubiousinfo · 7 September 2006

Duckman#72 said:
Rubbish!

It is about management skills, communication and surrounding yourself with the right people.

A CEO of a company actually gets it easier than the PM because they can appoint the people they want - not inherit brain dead public servants. If the PM farts on his morning walk the media get a whiff of it - don't tell me the PM gets away with more than the anonymous CEO of a company. The only reason AWB is being hauled over the coals is because of the political tie in. Most people(particularly the farmers) couldn't give a damn if they paid kickbacks to Saddam.

Its the cushy CEO's that pay themselve absurd amounts as salary then option top ups while watching the SP track south that really gets to me. Then they get the spear and take another couple million in payouts.

Duckman

Any CEO that told the lies Howard has in his term, not to mention the coverups would be sitting in a cell.

We may hear about what the PM & his cronies do, but nothing ever happens.
"I don't recall"
"I wasn't briefed on that"

The only company Howard could run would be Bre-x or Poseidon

Duckman#72 · 7 September 2006

dubiousinfo said:
Any CEO that told the lies Howard has in his term, not to mention the coverups would be sitting in a cell.

We may hear about what the PM & his cronies do, but nothing ever happens.
"I don't recall"
"I wasn't briefed on that"

The only company Howard could run would be Bre-x or Poseidon

Can you please provide an example of a specific lie that John Howard told that would have the equivalent CEO in a jail cell?

Can we also put aside party politics? Regardless of whether it is Kim or John the question remains the same. (Although if you feel that Johnny is only qualified to run Poseidon, god only knows what company Kim could be in charge of )

Duckman

mime · 7 September 2006

The answer is easy. Power, glory and immortality

Freeballinginawetsuit · 7 September 2006

Why would you work at McDonalds for 25k, they probably deal with more crap than the PM.
Its all relative, being PM would be a pretty cushy number, wonder what his super is?

macca · 7 September 2006

Party politics rearing its head again

There are plenty of CEO's who change their mind regularly and no one says BOO, their company loses 15 mill in a year and they still get paid millions.

A pollie makes a statement today and even though they clearly say "I have changed my mind " the media still dig out the old quote 15 years down the track and blast the pollie

I would not be a pollie for 300K no B****y way, maybe 3 mill................

I also believe that we should pay them more when they are in and a hell of a lot less when they are out and same super as everyone else.

Ants · 7 September 2006

Pay them next to nothing . Then we will get some one to do the job for the love of good government rather than all the perks!

This will be the government of the future.

krisbarry · 7 September 2006

Freeballinginawetsuit said:
Why would you work at McDonalds for 25k, they probably deal with more crap than the PM.
Its all relative, being PM would be a pretty cushy number, wonder what his super is?

True, but now you are comparing apples with oranges. There is no comparison!

I reckon running the country and running a business is a little more like comparing one apple with another don't ya think.

Freeballinginawetsuit · 7 September 2006

Stop_the_clock said:
True, but now you are comparing apples with oranges. There is no comparison!

I reckon running the country and running a business is a little more like comparing one apple with another don't ya think.

I agree, but the point is anyone in the public eye has to deal with the winging public. At Maccas we expect a burger as described, with our PM we expect governance as per his platform.
As long as the PM does the best he can, in the national interests and on the platform he was elected, thats all that we voters can expect.
The PM also has lots of smart plebs doing most of the leg work, hes just the public face really.

Duckman#72 · 7 September 2006

macca said:
Party politics rearing its head again

There are plenty of CEO's who change their mind regularly and no one says BOO, their company loses 15 mill in a year and they still get paid millions.

A pollie makes a statement today and even though they clearly say "I have changed my mind " the media still dig out the old quote 15 years down the track and blast the pollie

I would not be a pollie for 300K no B****y way, maybe 3 mill................

I also believe that we should pay them more when they are in and a hell of a lot less when they are out and same super as everyone else.

Great post Macca

I can't understand those people that think that being PM is a cushy position, yet seem oblivious to the hundreds of CEO's that sponge off shareholders.

Duckman

twojacks28 · 7 September 2006

i am not positive but i am pretty sure that the pm now gets the same amount of super as we do.

Julia · 7 September 2006

Duckman#72 said:
Great post Macca

I can't understand those people that think that being PM is a cushy position, yet seem oblivious to the hundreds of CEO's that sponge off shareholders.

Duckman

Macca and Duckman

Completely agree with both of you. I know it's very unfashionable to be happy with the Prime Minister, but frankly, he's OK by me, and I think he does a great job for such a meagre salary.

Just compare what he does and how he does it for that much money with what Ziggy and Sol do for their gazillions!

Julia

Why would you run a country for $300,000?

krisbarry

nioka

dubiousinfo

Bloveld

tech/a

No Ordinary Duck

TimmyC

Duckman#72

wayneL

VIVA LA LIBERTAD, CARAJO!

dubiousinfo

Duckman#72

mime

Freeballinginawetsuit

macca

Ants

krisbarry

Freeballinginawetsuit

Duckman#72

twojacks28

Julia

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