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| Barnaby Joyce 'struggling' on backbencher's salary – politics live | Barnaby Joyce 'struggling' on backbencher's salary – politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| And for a comparison, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age did an excellent interactive on what your profession’s median wage is not so long ago. | |
| You can also see the Australian Bureau of Statistics report on median earnings here. | |
| Let’s just break down some numbers here, as we take in that one of the most privileged men in Australia says he is doing it tough, because he is supporting a child through boarding school, as well as his estranged wife and the family he left, and his new partner and their two infants on *just* $211,000 a year (not counting allowances). | |
| As a senator, Barnaby Joyce, who has often said he could make more money as an accountant (a wage we are not counting) made conservatively $199,000 a year between 2005 and 2013. That’s not counting allowances, indexation or committee memberships. | |
| That’s just over $1.5m. | |
| When he moved to the House of Reps and served as a minister, he conservatively, made $350,00 a year. So there is another $700,000. | |
| While deputy prime minister, he made $415,000 a year. So add on another $830,000 (which is quite conservative, but let’s count two years). | |
| As a backbencher, he is making a minimum of $211,000. So he has made just under $400,000 on that. | |
| So since 2005, Barnaby Joyce has earned, on the most conservative of measures, $3.5m as a politician. | |
| This is not counting the $150,000 his partner received for the first televised interview following the birth of their son. | |
| AAP has reported on the Newspoll result: | AAP has reported on the Newspoll result: |
| Prime minister Scott Morrison is heading into the final parliamentary sitting week ahead of the winter break on the back of a new poll pointing to a lift in his government’s popularity. | Prime minister Scott Morrison is heading into the final parliamentary sitting week ahead of the winter break on the back of a new poll pointing to a lift in his government’s popularity. |
| The Coalition’s primary vote has increased by 2.6% since its May election victory to 44%, according to the Newspoll published by the Australian on Monday. | The Coalition’s primary vote has increased by 2.6% since its May election victory to 44%, according to the Newspoll published by the Australian on Monday. |
| On a two-party-preferred basis, the government now leads Labor 53% to 47%. | On a two-party-preferred basis, the government now leads Labor 53% to 47%. |
| Morrison also leads Labor leader Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister at 48% to 31%, while Labor’s primary vote remains largely unchanged at 33%. | Morrison also leads Labor leader Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister at 48% to 31%, while Labor’s primary vote remains largely unchanged at 33%. |
| The Nationals are really covering themselves in glory at the moment, aren’t they. | The Nationals are really covering themselves in glory at the moment, aren’t they. |
| The Coalition’s partner has started the 46th parliament by grabbing the headlines in all the wrong was – first, Michael McCormack wanted you to just move to get a job, rather than raise Newstart, because it is apparently that easy. | The Coalition’s partner has started the 46th parliament by grabbing the headlines in all the wrong was – first, Michael McCormack wanted you to just move to get a job, rather than raise Newstart, because it is apparently that easy. |
| Now, former deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, who does want to raise Newstart, says he “gets it” because he is struggling to make ends meet on $211,000 a year. That’s without allowances. | Now, former deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, who does want to raise Newstart, says he “gets it” because he is struggling to make ends meet on $211,000 a year. That’s without allowances. |
| “I’m just saying these circumstances have made me more vastly attuned … it’s just a great exercise in humility going from deputy prime minister to watching every dollar you get,” he told the Courier Mail. | “I’m just saying these circumstances have made me more vastly attuned … it’s just a great exercise in humility going from deputy prime minister to watching every dollar you get,” he told the Courier Mail. |
| “A politician [renting a duplex without a dishwasher] for 415 bucks a week, he’s not living high on the hog, is he? | |
| “There is a reason for that and that’s basically what I can afford. You do become a lot more mindful. | “There is a reason for that and that’s basically what I can afford. You do become a lot more mindful. |
| “So the big thrill of the day to be honest is a cup of coffee. We [he and Vikki] rarely if ever go out for dinner.” | “So the big thrill of the day to be honest is a cup of coffee. We [he and Vikki] rarely if ever go out for dinner.” |
| Siri – show me tone deaf. | Siri – show me tone deaf. |
| Joyce has since tried to add some context: | Joyce has since tried to add some context: |
| .@Barnaby_Joyce on reports he is ‘skint’:I’m on an incredibly good salary, and I say that because otherwise people will say ‘you’re full of it mate, you’re on $211,000 a year’. But I cover all my responsibilities and live with what's left.MORE: https://t.co/nteX0boCzW pic.twitter.com/o9kABFFESZ | .@Barnaby_Joyce on reports he is ‘skint’:I’m on an incredibly good salary, and I say that because otherwise people will say ‘you’re full of it mate, you’re on $211,000 a year’. But I cover all my responsibilities and live with what's left.MORE: https://t.co/nteX0boCzW pic.twitter.com/o9kABFFESZ |
| There are not enough evens to can’t with this one. | There are not enough evens to can’t with this one. |
| Meanwhile, Newspoll is back, and the Australian reports a 1.5% swing to the Coalition since the last election with the two-party-preferred measure 53 to 47. | Meanwhile, Newspoll is back, and the Australian reports a 1.5% swing to the Coalition since the last election with the two-party-preferred measure 53 to 47. |
| I haven’t managed to get a coffee this morning, mostly because I managed to start the week by locking myself out of the house, but I promise to be firing on as many cylinders as I have very soon. Mike Bowers is out and about, and you’ll have Paul Karp and Katharine Murphy to help get you through the day as well. | I haven’t managed to get a coffee this morning, mostly because I managed to start the week by locking myself out of the house, but I promise to be firing on as many cylinders as I have very soon. Mike Bowers is out and about, and you’ll have Paul Karp and Katharine Murphy to help get you through the day as well. |
| Ready? | Ready? |
| Let’s get into it. | Let’s get into it. |