If MPs can't pay for their food then who can?

[slofox]

Huh. Looks like we have to pay to keep our MP's fat...http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2547601/No-belt-tightening-for-Bellamys.
Greedy bastards. Let 'em pay for themselves...they earn more than enough...:bash:

[Usarka]

Sure they are bottom feeding pond scum, but most MP's don't live in Wellington and the rest of us would expect "the company" to pay for meals while away from home.

Like the whole air travel thing. The shit that's coming out of Goff's gobb is mixing with the jizz on his chin. Comparing the air travel of a government in it's first term against that of a 3 term government on it's way out is juveniley (sp?) dumbarse. New governments need to build relationships internationally. And they fly business class so they can actually do something productive when they arrive at the destination.

[MisterD]

"fine dining" hmmm...David Farrar (http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2009/07/bellamys_and_valentines.html) reckons it's not only the prices that Bellamy's has in common with Valentines...

[ManDownUnder]

Oh come on.... if free food for the MPs was really such a luxury there'd be a lot overweight MPs.

... I rest my case...

[davereid]

Sure they are bottom feeding pond scum, but most MP's don't live in Wellington and the rest of us would expect "the company" to pay for meals while away from home.

Like the whole air travel thing. The shit that's coming out of Goff's gobb is mixing with the jizz on his chin.

Turns out that Treasury got it wrong anyway - Labour spent more, not less.

[Swoop]

... would expect "the company" to pay for meals while away from home.
Quite so. However a company that gets rid of its staff, does not have to continue paying for their air travel for the rest of their days.

That practice should stop immediately. A person is elected to a position for a set period of time, and paid well for doing very little. I wonder what "other" reasons were behind bailing out Air NZ... loss of their perks, perhaps?

[MattRSK]

Sure they are bottom feeding pond scum, but most MP's don't live in Wellington and the rest of us would expect "the company" to pay for meals while away from home.

Like the whole air travel thing. The shit that's coming out of Goff's gobb is mixing with the jizz on his chin. Comparing the air travel of a government in it's first term against that of a 3 term government on it's way out is juveniley (sp?) dumbarse. New governments need to build relationships internationally. And they fly business class so they can actually do something productive when they arrive at the destination.

Agreed .

[klingon]

The food outlets in parliament are all awful! There are other cafeterias other than Bellamy's but they just stock nasty greasy pies & chips & stuff. Fine for a treat once in a while, but when this is the daily nutrition of people making major decisions affecting our lives - it's just not good enough!

I would prefer to see the subsidy diverted into free fruit, veges, salads and high-quality food for MPs. Give them as much fresh juice as they can drink! But if they want to eat sugary, fatty rubbish they should have to go out and spend their own money on it, not mine. :angry:

Maybe if some of those MPs lost a bit of weight, did some exercise and ate good food, they might be a bit more alert and make better decisions. Wishful thinking I know...

[slofox]

but when this is the daily nutrition of people making major decisions affecting our lives - it's just not good enough!



Mayhaps that explains the quality of some of the decisions...:whistle:

[Winston001]

This comes up every few years and of course, no-one likes it. But realistically the amount of money involved is pennies and NZ has much more important things to worry about. MPs perks are just noise - don't be distracted.

[slofox]

I wouldn't mind that many pennies Winston...

[Deano]

Just how many hours work does an MP put in each week ? It may be quite high, thus justifying their salary and perks.:dodge:

[Winston001]

I wouldn't mind that many pennies Winston...

Agreed but the food subsidy works out to about $2,500 per Member of Parliament. Compared with some career civil servants and managers in the business sector, MPs aren't paid well.

Its an awful job 24/7. People moaning and complaining, phone calls at all hours - it would be like being a talkback host 24 hours a day. Then your own party are on your back to perform, keep up with policy, attack the other side. Plus you family are living hundreds of miles away while you are stuck in Wellington.

And no-one is ever happy with you. Consider how you would feel about being disliked by 90% of the population who don't even know you. Sod being an MP.

[davereid]

Its an awful job 24/7. People moaning and complaining, phone calls at all hours - it would be like being a talkback host 24 hours a day. Then your own party are on your back to perform, keep up with policy, attack the other side.And no-one is ever happy with you. Consider how you would feel about being disliked by 90% of the population who don't even know you. Sod being an MP.

In my of course biased, and testorone fueled and therefore completely discardable opinion it just gets worse...

As Mr. Worth discovered, if you are a Gay M.P. your sex life will never be discussed by the media. That would be rude and unfair !

But if you are heterosexual then you are fair game.

Offer a bit of nookie, or display any overt sexual overtures to a female then you are err buggered.

Send a hundred grubby texts to a woman and only get 70 replies ? You are a dangerous sexual predator !

A woman indicates you-are-in, you hop in her bed and she says you-are-out ? You leep out like a scalded cat but guess what.

Not a mistake, thats attempted rape !

[Dave Lobster]

And no-one is ever happy with you. Consider how you would feel about being disliked by 90% of the population who don't even know you. Sod being an MP.

Nobody is making them do it. They all do it through choice..

Well.. maybe.. how many of them could get real jobs??



The food outlets in parliament are all awful! There are other cafeterias other than Bellamy's but they just stock nasty greasy pies & chips & stuff.

Nothing to stop them making sandwiches for their lunch. I'm sure even an MP is capable of doing that.

[slofox]

Nothing to stop them making sandwiches for their lunch. I'm sure even an MP is capable of doing that.

You reckon..? I dunno - that's pretty hard y'know...

[klingon]

Nothing to stop them making sandwiches for their lunch. I'm sure even an MP is capable of doing that.

Remember, most of them don't live in Wellington.

I do know some who take bread, fruit, etc and keep it in their office but I still think that if the taxpayer is going to subsidise food for the MPs, then that's the sort of basic stuff we should be subsidising. Not luxury/junk items like chips, pies & chicken nuggets.

[Dave Lobster]

Remember, most of them don't live in Wellington.

I do know some who take bread, fruit, etc and keep it in their office but I still think that if the taxpayer is going to subsidise food for the MPs, then that's the sort of basic stuff we should be subsidising. Not luxury/junk items like chips, pies & chicken nuggets.

No way.. let's subsidise shit food instead. The more crap they eat, the sooner they die. They wont be claiming a state funded pension when they're old. Saves us money..

[Forest]

Bellamy's isn't just a restaurant for MPs.

The bulk of their business is serving public service employees (of which there are hundreds in the parliament building).

[spacemonkey]

Oh come on.... if free food for the MPs was really such a luxury there'd be a lot overweight MPs.

... I rest my case...

Of course..... Must be why the average "non luxury" Mc Donalds patron are such outstanding visions of physical perfection.

The quality of the ingredients and the cooking processes (i'd bet they would be smaller servings too) probably make them relatively healthy meals at a guess.

[Winston001]

I do know some who take bread, fruit, etc and keep it in their office but I still think that if the taxpayer is going to subsidise food for the MPs, then that's the sort of basic stuff we should be subsidising. Not luxury/junk items like chips, pies & chicken nuggets.

Yes I'd go along with that. Add cheese and butter. Yum!

It always looks hypocritical when Parliament asks for fiscal restraint of the nation while MPs continue with their perks unchallenged. However I don't think you could ever trim MPs pay and benefits enough to satisfy everyone. They'd have to get NIL. And that won't happen.

[Winston001]

Nobody is making them do it. They all do it through choice..

Well.. maybe.. how many of them could get real jobs??



I don't know how many MPs get a rise in income when elected but its not as many as we think. Ok some do, but people like John Key and Michael Cullen would be much better off outside Parliament.

The average person won't be an MP. Its just too tough. Personally, career, and family.

And if nobody did it except the wealthy.....how would we like that?? :gob: