Politician opposes own government’s axing of taxpayer funded gold pass for former MPs

RADIO host Ben Fordham didn’t hold back on a veteran Coalition pollie who opposes changes to the MPs’ entitlements scheme.

Radio 2GB host Ben Fordham discussed the taxpayer-funded life gold pass that gives former MPs free business-class travel on his show with senator Ian Macdonald today.

RADIO talkback host Ben Fordham and Liberal Senator Ian Macdonald both got “hot under the collar” in a fiery on air exchange about the taxpayer-funded life gold travel pass that gives former MPs free business-class travel.

Mr Macdonald, who is paid a salary of $200,000 a year as a backbencher, threatened to oppose his own government’s plan to axe the scheme after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced a bill to the lower house to establish a new expenses watchdog earlier today.

Mr Macdonald spoke to Mr Fordham about the retirement perk over the airwaves on 2GB this afternoon.

Fordham: “Can I put it to you that you are wildly out of touch, senator?”

MacDonald: “I was a bit reluctant to come onto yours or any other program or talk because they will deliberately misinterpret my position and will create a headline that is completely inaccurate. The same as I might say your introduction just was.”

Mr Macdonald said the life gold travel pass applies to a “very small number of politicians”.

“Thirty or 40 years ago they entered into an arrangement at a time when the salaries paid to parliamentarians were much less, and less attractive than it is now,” he said.

“This is retrospective legislation at its very worst.”

Mr Fordham asked him why the “goalposts” could be moved for superannuation and pensioners but not for politicians.

“That’s another wildly inaccurate misrepresentation,” Mr Macdonald said.

Mr Macdonald accused Mr Fordham of not wanting to “hear the truth because it doesn’t suit your lie”.

“Will you please let me finish. Will you please let me finish,” he replied.

Mr Fordham: “They already get a good deal, these ex politicians, why do they need to travel around on our dollar, 10 business class return airfares, every year for them or their spouse? It’s a rort.”

Mr Macdonald said it was an arrangement that “costs less than a couple of million dollars”.

“I appreciate that the public doesn’t like this,” he said.

“But someone has got to bring some truth and fact into the argument.

“I know it’s unpopular. My hate mail after this show will increase even more.”

Mr Macdonald said he wasn’t opposing the bill for his own benefit.

“I’m 71. I’ll probably leave the parliament in a box. But even if I do, after 27 years of flying seven hours to and from Canberra every week that parliament sits to do my job, the last thing I want to do when I leave this parliament is get on an aeroplane.

“This is not about me, it’s about a couple of dozen elderly politicians who have had this deal. I don’t know what you don’t understand about retrospective legislation”.

Mr Fordham said he had to end the segment because he was getting “hot under the collar”.

Earlier today, a bill to immediately axe one of the most generous retirement perks for federal MPs — the life gold travel pass — was introduced on Thursday, and follows the expenses scandal that claimed the scalp of former health minister Sussan Ley.

Mr Macdonald was one of two Coalition MPs who used a party room meeting to oppose the entitlements crackdown.

Mr Macdonald told parliament he would oppose the axing of the gold pass.

He said he had told a partyroom meeting it was time someone stood up for politicians, insisting they were not “particularly well paid”.

“It’s about time our leaders, all of our leaders ... started just emphasising how much work politicians do, how much commitment most of the people who sit in this parliament have,” he said.

“Most parliamentarians, those on this side, would have done infinitely better financially staying in their legal practice, staying in their business.”

Mr Macdonald intends to move amendments to both bills, but will still support the new watchdog even if his proposed changes are rejected. He attempted to have the gold pass legislation referred to a Senate inquiry to give those affected by the changes a say, but the move was rejected by the upper house.

“I’ll leave this place probably in a box, so it’s not going to relate to me,” he said.

“If I don’t, the last thing I want to do after 27 years of flying from Townsville to Canberra to do my job here is sit on a plane ever again.”

Mr Macdonald said the retrospective changes would affect a small group of elderly former parliamentarians who served with far fewer conditions and pay than current politicians, and the gold pass was part of the deal. “They are entitled to what was agreed upon. It should not be taken from them,” he said.

“At least let these people come in and have their say.”

Mr Macdonald wants to strengthen the proposed expenses watchdog to include oversight of all taxpayer-funded positions, including public servants, judges and statutory tribunals such as the Human Rights Commission. “Everyone should be as open and transparent and accountable as parliamentarians are,” he told AAP.

He acknowledged the move might not be popular among his coalition colleagues, urging Greens senators to support his amendments.

“I suspect there’s not going to be too many on my side to second it,” he told parliament.

— With AAP

Originally published as Politician opposes own government’s axing of taxpayer funded gold pass for former MPs