With respect, BFrank, I think that you are being a bit tough on the rudds. Neither of them have what I would call a “9 to 5” job and I am sure that if you did some research, you would find that a nanny and butler come with the job if circumstances warrant. These people are our elected leaders and for better or for worse, they represent Australia to the rest of the world. Many may disagree, but I think it necessary and only fair that we give them the tools and resources to do the job we require of them to an acceptable standard.





A bit tough Kfchugo? I dont think so. I did point out they are both multi-millionaires and are both shoving their noses deeper into the trough while denying pensioners a raise. It created a hell of a stink when news of 'Jeeves' the butler broke. NO I dont think nannys and butlers come with the job. Sure IF they need these people AND they have the ability WHY should they bludge off us?



Consider this. While the looming threat of the emissions tax that will drastically alter (lower) our lifestyle the Rudds wont pay any. Nor do they pay for countless other things, as befitting a Prime Minister, BUT I believe there are limits considering the healthy wage they are paid and pension they will retire on.

I am sure they are no different to Howard and the rest--but a little more hard working

am sure they are no different to Howard and the rest--but a little more hard working



Mmmm hard working? I dont think I mentioned that. But it reminds me of a chap who worked 'hard' at an aged care complex I was volunteering at. He always looked busy walked miles each day around the complex until I realised he kept forgetting the tools required to do the task at hand OR returned to the workshop asking how to fix something.



Your defence of the Rudds in commended. I guess its a sign of a dedicated party man, however as a swinging voter I can find faults on both sides of the house. I will be the first to openly admit I was duped into voting for this supposed genius who intimated he would fix petrol costs, food costs and childcare charges to name a few . Its the first time I had a candidate (Amanda Rishworth who hasnt achieved much sitting on the back bench) knock on my door in over 40 years.



I also voted against Howard and his dreaded WorkChoices and because he had lost touch and should have handed over the reigns far earlier. Ignorance saw his party decimated. However I am now seriously regretting voting for this lot of pretenders.

With you all the way on this one B Frank. I think KRudd is struggling at the moment as his Chief Political Advisor, AKA Cate Blanchett, has been absent for a while.

Firstly, I must admit to being totally biased against ANY politician......I think they rate below car salesmen and cockroaches. Having said that, I think people are being very quick to judge Rudd. I am writing poison pen letters to him regarding his lack of action/compassion toward welfare recipients, but look at the state of the nation he inherited from the Liberals. They were completely out of touch with the common Aussie and not just on Workchoices. Rudd cant force down the cost of oil on the international markets and many of the other problems just simply dont have a "quick fix" solution available.

With regard to the nanny & butler, I suggest people take a look at Rudd's actual salary and compare it to the salaries paid to CEO's in the private sector. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys......and I dont want a monkey running MY country.

Hi kfchugo,

Are you suggesting that Pollies salaries should be increased to a comparable rate to industry CEO's to attract better political candidates. The idea has some merit as there seems to be no shortage of mediocre candidates at the moment, but it would take a VERY bold government to implement it.

Hi keandha......

If we could get better politicians by paying more money in salaries, I would be all for it. The sad fact however, is that politicians gain their positions (generally speaking) after a long involvement with a political party involving a career of bum-kissing, broken promises, political compromises, double dealing and just plain lying and cheating. The concept of an honest/ethical politician is an oxymoron. Paying a dill more money wont make him any smarter.

My point is that Kevin Rudd is paid fairly poorly in comparison to being a leader in the private sector and I personally wouldn't begrudge him a butler or a nanny if it helped him perform his onerous duties effectively. The guy is strutting the world stage representing we the Australian people........do we want to pay him award wages?

No I am a swinging voter--but DO HATE the preferential type voting we have here--as only Lab' or Libs will ever get in.



I agree I rate Pollies with used car salesmen etc--like my Mother used to say "You can't be a politician and an honest man too"

My point is that Kevin Rudd is paid fairly poorly in comparison to being a leader in the private sector and I personally wouldn’t begrudge him a butler or a nanny if it helped him perform his onerous duties effectively. The guy is strutting the world stage representing we the Australian people........do we want to pay him award wages?



"Perform his onerous duties effectively"? Well lets look at that shall we? Apart from saying 'Sorry' and rushing onto the world stage to sign the Kyoto Protocol (I think in a desperate bid to be noticed) I am struggling to think of one positive thing young Kev has accomplished. We have had the 20/20 talkfest, countless other talk-fests and calls for numerous reports. All this from a bloke who promised to "hit the ground running" Most other things were already in the pipeline OR were as a result of saying Meetoo during the election.



Award wages? With respect you have slid from the sublime to the ridiculous AND have completely overlooked Mrs Rudd is a multi-millionaire (certainly not on award wages) and should dam-well get her nose out of the taxpayer-funded trough. Speaking of Mrs Rudd I think she was extremely lucky to escape penalty for her company's interpretation of Work Choices which under paid her staff, that was hushed up pretty quickly.



But back to the issue -- Yes the PM should be adequately paid, and from memory I think the new Governor General gets paid heaps more than the PM (after he gave her a massive increase) for opening fetes, cutting ribbons and judging cakes. BUT like any politician If you want more [u]personal[/u] staff, pay for them yourself.



Oh! Ive just thought of one thing young Kev has done. He has rolled out more cliche's, 'shoulder to the wheel' type of rhetoric, than any pollie I've heard LOL

I guess we will just have to "agree to disagree", BFrank......I think you just dont like our Kevin and so just cant find a positive thing to say about him. In considering what pay and "perks" our PM is entitled to you seem to conveniently overlook the nature of the job. He does not work 9 - 5 with the weekends off like most of us and is effectively "on call" 24/7. Many of his engagements are nights, weekends etc and ANY emergency, anywhere in the world can see him on deck and being briefed by his advisers to make public comment.

You refer to his wifes "millions" and having her snout in the trough, but I am not aware that she receives a government wage or stipend (could be wrong about that). This only re-inforces my point.....I could criticise her all day, but I AM NO MILLIONAIRE.....I have to at least respect her business acumen. Her involvement with her husband as PM will no doubt detract from her ability to run her business, so I think we are lucky to attract people of this calibre at the price we pay.

I just cant understand your comment about the problem her company had with short paying employees.......from memory, they were paid mere cents short of the award and the infringement was made by management BEFORE Mrs Rudd bought the business......as soon as the error was discovered in the course of internal audits, she notified the proper authority and made good the shortfall voluntarily. There was a lot of media hype when the fault was first discovered, but relatively little interest in the story as it unfolded.

It is soooooo easy to criticise and I see how Australians have been branded as having a national case of the "tall poppy" syndrome.

I repect Mrs Rudd for being indepentant--she had the buiness long b4 Kevin became elected

Yes we will have to agree to disagree, and as I said I did vote for his mob and now sadly regret it, because they are a sham.



Yes Mrs Rudd is successful in her business and yes she is a multi-millionaire and should pay for her own nanny for their son. Tall poppy has nothing to do with it. Its all about credibility actually.