The median personal income is less than $50K when you take into account unemployed and retired and other income streams, so it’s closer to 10X of the median Australian.

I suspect you are talking about the median Jobs in Australia rather than Personal Income in Australia.

Honestly I’d rather see politician remuneration indexed to minimum wage. I suspect tying the wealth of the decision makers to the minimum wage might actually make a difference to the average Australian.

https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions

[–] lemmington_steele@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

won't they just be more reliant on lobbying gifts to compensate?

[–] Fraction9869@aussie.zone 2 points 1 year ago

Maybe if a base pay of $200K isn’t enough for them they’d just leave politics altogether and make room for people who want to help their local community?

[–] Marsupial@quokk.au 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

From what I can tell, MPs earn about $200,000. 200/50=4?

[–] Fraction9869@aussie.zone 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Fair point, I was talking about the PM’s pay. The idea that a federal politician’s value (pay is literally the way to compare your perceived value to society) is even over 4 times more than half of your countrymen is an interesting thought to reckon with.

Based on the determination, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's salary will increase from $564,356 to $586,930, and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's salary will increase from $401,561 to $417,623.

MPs will have a base pay of $225,742, up from $217,060 — though they can receive additional pay depending on whether they hold a ministry or shadow ministry, chair a committee, or act as speakers or party whips.