They Are Ex And Exy
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday September 26, 2008
THE former premier, Morris Iemma, has been eyeing off the perks enjoyed by his predecessors, Bob Carr, Nick Greiner and Neville Wran. Mr Iemma says he just wants to find out what he is entitled to, but then wistfully notes that Mr Wran has had a car and driver for nearly two decades. And what about an office and a personal assistant? The Premier, Nathan Rees, says the matter is still being negotiated. The public knows what that means: Mr Iemma will get whatever he wants.
He should, of course, get only what the rules allow, but the problem is that the rules are not very clear: there seems to be general agreement that after four years, an outgoing premier is entitled to a car and driver. But for how long does that entitlement last? Mr Iemma's term fell some months short of four years. Where does that leave him? Surely he won't have to rely on his gold pass, entitling him merely to free public transport for life? What a comedown that would be, particularly with public transport in the parlous state he left it ...Perquisites seem to weigh heavily in the decisions of Labor's former leading group. The former treasurer, Michael Costa, quit virtually on the day he qualified for a parliamentary pension. It is not just perks, either, but jobs and status. Labor's ruling Right faction relies on its ability to deliver both to its members - to reward and to consolidate loyalty. That is why NSW's troubled finances are now in the hands of the undistinguished Eric Roozendaal and the even less distinguished Joe Tripodi. (At least the Premier, Nathan Rees, knows the problem that has given him, and has hired not one but two former Reserve Bank governors to hold their hands.) Noreen Hay's factional masters have made sure their loyal servant won't lose face either after Mr Rees sacked her as a parliamentary secretary. She becomes convener of the Right caucus. Such perks as that job carries, if any, are not paid for by the taxpayer. Ms Hay will have to bear that injustice with all the fortitude she can command.We would not want to see our former NSW premiers destitute, but that seems unlikely: their travel and offices cost more than $1.2 million a year, with Mr Carr alone responsible for about a third of that in the past two years. As Mr Rees draws up his belt-tightening mini-budget, those are figures worth thinking about.
© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald