Who gives a flying buck about Kevin 747’s expenses?

komet says:

04:04pm | 14/09/11

It is only a waste if you think having a seat on the UNSC is a waste. He HAS to go to these multiple and obscure and far-flung countries to lobby them.

Of course his travel bill is going to be excessive.

It comes down to whether or not we think the UNSC seat is worth it or not. You are arguing on the wrong issue. I’m not sure about anyone else but the idea of traveling to dank eastern European countries to lobby corrupt officials does not sound like my idea of a good time.

Glad it is him and not me.

DocBud says:

04:41pm | 14/09/11

A seat on the UNSC is not worth a bag of beans, magic or otherwise, to Australians. It will not affect our lives one iota.

Washington Irving says:

06:43pm | 14/09/11

The UN is useless. Always has been, always will be. Anything they do or say is simply ignored by the US, Iran, China, North Korea, Israel, Russia, the UK, the list goes on. Rudd doesn’t have to get a first class flight to Europe to lobby corrupt officials; that’s what the ALP party room is for.

jf says:

07:43pm | 14/09/11

I doubt that Peter Slipper is the Coalition’s number one pick to contest his seat at the next Federal election.

Keith Hammersmith says:

04:03pm | 14/09/11

and somehow comparing Rudd to the leader of the worlds largest economy is good reporting right?
1 Million dollars is a lot of money no matter who you compare it to, it is still coming from the Australian people.  Also it is worth mentioning that Rudd is spending more than previous Foreign Ministers, by a long shot,  that worth mentioning?  or just compare his expenses to Hillary Clinton as thats very relevant

andye says:

04:12pm | 14/09/11

@Matt - Obama inherited the deficit that was started by Reagan and increased by every Republican president since. Clinton managed to reverse the trend… untill Bush Jr came in.

He has basically inherited the massive credit card bill the republicans caused by increasing spending and cutting taxes. He was then held hostage by the republicans who refused to compromise on the solution. The interest on that bill is huge and the situation was well out of control when he inherited. Did you know that Bush increased the debt ceiling 7 times during his presidency?

You shouldn’t use the american economy as an example, my dear Matt. The american economy is the perfect example of conservative fiscal mismanagement.

Apologetic conservative. says:

04:22pm | 14/09/11

Good of a conservative to acknowledge the excellent work Obama is doing, coping with residue of the conservative trough eaters long lunches.

http://tinyurl.com/37mm6g9

Tony of Poorakistan says:

04:52pm | 14/09/11

Why do we want the UNSC seat? Now that *is* a waste of money.

old fart says:

07:21am | 15/09/11

maybe it’s because one of our northerly neighbours has decided that the pacific and indian oceans would make a nice personal water feature for their front yard, by markedly stepping up their presence.  try watching or reading world affairs for a change instead of what Tony isnt saying

PsychoHyena says:

09:30am | 16/09/11

Tony, having a seat on the UNSC is actually a very big deal. Whenever there is conflict the world’s largest economies coming running to Australia seeking support in those conflicts.

People seem to forget that Australia has a large presence in the international community, however until now we’ve never had someone with the balls to stand up and say “We deserve a seat on the UNSC”.

What we are seeing under first Rudd’s leadership and now Rudd’s international guidance is Australia changing from a sheep to a wolf.

Peter From Perth says:

04:26pm | 14/09/11

That’s right,
just look at all the stuff we got from the 11 years of Alexander Downers jaunts
War in Iraq
War in Afghanistan
errrrrr…..

Bruce says:

05:13pm | 14/09/11

Shane: The value we are getting for Australia is that Kev is out of the country and not bothering the labor party and Juliar. I believe the labor party would be happy to pay twice the amount just to keep him out of the country. I believe, if my memory serves me well, that Kev asked for the job of foriegn minister. I guess so he does not have to look at ‘his friends’ in the labor party !!

LJ Dots says:

08:20pm | 14/09/11

@Shane From Melbourne, agreed, how is this value for money? I checked DFAT for our trade details with Saint Kitts and Nevis (population 55K) which the Foreign Minister had visited.

Apparently we do receive some cheese, curd and meat from the islands, we also export some electrical components. Other key indicators such as AUS investments or their investments here are listed as either 0.0% nil or na.

Regardless, it does look like a lovely tropical island.

For those who like stats, graphs and sundry details, the DFAT fact sheet is here:
http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/fs/stch.pdf

PTom says:

04:46pm | 14/09/11

I wonder what Abbott sspent flying around Australia?

chungo mung says:

08:34am | 15/09/11

biiiigest douche in tha uuuuuniiiiverse!

Political debate for us, the masses, has become as useless as the political arguing carried out by the politicians. If you watch question time carefully, both sides just dislike each other immensely, The leader of the opposition and the PM barely look each other in the face even though they sit opposite one another because they have taken their dialogue to such a low place that they have lost all respect - incl. self respect.

If we all argue about inconsequential crap then the real issues just flare up when the extreme parts of the demographic come out shouting and raving, so the debate becomes polarised in rhetoric and ad-homenim and dramatic bullshit.

I remember my father standing before myself and my brother on many occasions, unable to deal with our fighting and bickering, just marveling at the pointless nature of our opposition to one another. He just wanted us to listen and be a little bit considerate. A lesson for children I once thought.

Why is beligerance so valued as a sign of strength in the game of our modern day democratic debate?

Aaron says:

04:16pm | 15/09/11

HAHAH!!! DE TERK ERRR JERRR!!!!!

Gotta love Southpark :D

PTom says:

04:49pm | 14/09/11

I will look forward to it being finished in the next few years.

Horns Up says:

07:47pm | 14/09/11

You want the foreign minister to work from home?

Seriously?

\m/

Washington Irving says:

09:31pm | 14/09/11

Well, Horns Up, it would save Australia a lot of embarrassment on the world stage.

Horns Up says:

09:06am | 15/09/11

What embarrassment? Seriously what? Like him or not, he’s doing an excellent job as foreign minister. Sensible replies only please.

\m/

Damocles says:

02:00pm | 15/09/11

Horns Up, KRudd is a massive embarrassment to himself, his family, Australia and most especially to Labor. Gillard wants him as far away from her as possible and he is only too pleased to oblige. He has no shame, but a huge ego. He is consumed by delusions of his own grandeur. One could write a whole thesis on his self serving, self centred, paranoid personality. He’s not a Foreign Minister, he’s a puffed up, pompous git strutting the world stage thinking everybody admires him. He has no scruples and will steal taxpayers money to push his own warped, self serving agenda and he calls himself a Christian!  Oh,...........I want only sensible replies, please…..............seriously!

\V/

Horns Up says:

03:53pm | 15/09/11

Ah yeah….sorry but name calling isn’t a “sensible reply”.

\m/

Damocles says:

05:51pm | 15/09/11

How grown up and mature of you, but if the name calling fits….......wear it!

\V/

Horns Up says:

08:28pm | 15/09/11

Yes I’m childish because I’ve pointed out that the Foreign Minister is expect to go to foreign countries as a part of his job.

I’m also childish because your best criticism of Rudd amounts to little more than name calling.

Clever stuff.

\m/

Sarah says:

04:31pm | 14/09/11

That’s because he’s not the international trade minister.

Also, I’m not sure why you think Kevin Rudd would be dealing with this? Is it simply because it’s in a foreign country? If you think this then you really have no diea what our ministers do.

1 million for travel is actually really conservative considering the work he’s doing. Most private sector CEO’s would pile up that amount simply by flitting between offices in Australia.

Maj. of Cockburn says:

04:31pm | 14/09/11

If ignorance is bliss, then you must be ecstatic.

July 11, 2011
“The livestock industry is singing Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd’s praises, declaring that his intervention in the Indonesian live cattle export controversy was a critical circuit-breaker.

Mr Rudd last week flew to Jakarta for talks with senior Indonesian government ministers on the crisis. Within hours, Indonesia had declared it would grant permits to import 180,000 cattle in the next three months.”

http://tinyurl.com/6dx4nm7

jf says:

07:49pm | 14/09/11

Sarah says: 04:31pm | 14/09/11

“Most private sector CEO’s would pile up that amount simply by flitting between offices in Australia.”

First of all, Kevin Rudd is accountable to every Australian. Corporate CEOs are accountable to their shareholders. If I was aware that the CEO of a company that I was a shareholder of was spending this sort of money “flitting” about I would have grave concerns.

Secondly, I defy you to find one corporate CEO, just one, that spends $1,000,000 on international let alone domestic travel. In fact. I’ll make it half of that. All listed companies profit and losses are publicly available so it should be easy.

Bulldust says:

09:18pm | 14/09/11

JF
With your in depth knowledge, tell me how much Clive Palmer spends each year on his three corporate jets.
Go ahead, I dare you to find a corporate report that lists it.
Weak as.
OK, try this
“Andrew for Forrest wanted a big one and so did Harold Mitchell. Developers John Gandel and Lang Walker just wanted better ones.
The very wealthy have almost tripled Australia’s private jet fleet to more than 175 n the past decade, with many upgrading Lear jets and Gulfstreams to the longer range Global Express models.
The new arrivals go for $US20 million to $US53 million a pop.”

jf says:

10:02pm | 14/09/11

You’re almost there Bulldust. So, tell me, how much of other people’s money did they spend on travel?

Brian Taylor says:

11:17pm | 14/09/11

Sarah..“what our ministers do. ?”
truth br told Sarah, Govt ministers both Fed and state do bugger all and if you think otherwise, look at the mess we’re in at the moment and tell me everyone is doing his/her job lol
But hey you’re a labor suporter so that explains everything

Bulldust says:

09:23am | 15/09/11

jf says
“Secondly, I defy you to find one corporate CEO, just one, that spends $1,000,000 on international let alone domestic travel. In fact. I’ll make it half of that.”
You’ve lost the plot son.
You’re question has been answered. Feel free to ask another and this time try not to be stupid.

jf says:

11:47am | 15/09/11

Bulldust says:
09:23am | 15/09/11

For a start, I think that you confused capital and expenditure.
However, back on track, the topic was on people (politicians and executives) spending other people’s money. It had not occurred to me that anyone would think that Clive Palmer (or any of the people you listed) is responsible to anyone but himself when he spends his own money.

As to Andrew Forrest, he is most certainly responsible to the shareholders of Fortescue. From their most recent financials I am not aware of any one individual (Forrest or anyone else) spending this sort of money on travel. However, if they did spend an abnormal amount of money on travel, I am sure that one of their thousands of shareholders would want an explanation.

So, in the interests of clarity, please let us know of any Australian that is accountable for spending other people’s money (whether they be politician, public company executive or public servant) who has spent $1m on domestic travel as Sarah claimed.

I’m betting that you will not find one person in that group who has spent 10% of that on domestic travel.

If you are unable to reconcile the difference between Rudd spending taxpayer money and a private individual spending their own money, don’t bother.

Bulldust says:

12:58pm | 15/09/11

jf
You have the comprehension skills of a pre-schooler.
Are you trying to tell us that Clive Palmer doesn’t write off his corporate jets as a business expense and spends his “own” money?
The stupidity of some people is amazing, but I guess their thinking mirrors there political persuasion and the favouring of business interests.

Clive Palmer is NOT spending his own money funding his travel expenses.

jf says:

03:07pm | 15/09/11

Bulldust says:12:58pm | 15/09/11

Personal vitriol is not a response Bulldust so I’ll keep asking for an answer to my original question.

“Clive Palmer is NOT spending his own money funding his travel expenses”

So who’s money is he spending then Bulldust? And, harking back to my original email, how much is he spending?

Bulldust says:

04:36pm | 15/09/11

jf
When you make a stupid statement as in your original post, you should either
1 Acknowledge you made a mistake
2 Walk away and hide for a while
You are just hanging around like you shat your pants and are in denial about it.

Palmer is spending the shareholders money - that means all the people that have a superannuation piece in the scores of companies he runs are paying the price for his extravagance.

PS Palmer only represents an Australian take on the traditional capitalistic Suidae species.

jf says:

07:50pm | 15/09/11

Bulldust says: 04:36pm | 15/09/11

“Palmer is spending the shareholders money”

Oh really. So exactly which public company’s money is Palmer spending? I’m sure that they’d like to know.

“all the people that have a superannuation piece in the scores of companies he runs are paying the price for his extravagance”

Give me one super fund (just one) that has an investment in a company that is having its money spent by Cliver Palmer. For that matter, name one public company that Clive Palmer is director of let alone runs.

My original challenge, to Sarah’s claim that CEO’s spend $1,000,000 on domestic travel was to say bullshit.

I’ll say it slowly, give me one executive (CEO or other; private or public sector ) that has spent 1,000,000 of other people’s money (shareholders or taxpayer). All publicly listed company financials are publicly available as are departmental records under FOI. Should be easy mate.

You can call me all the names you like, but you have failed to answer that very simple question.

Left Turn only says:

04:33pm | 14/09/11

Pigs only may fly with Tony Abbott !
I am sorry if my satire offends you ,Nicole Gillard .

DocBud says:

06:38pm | 14/09/11

Belittling people who disagree with you saves you having to engage your oh so much greater grey cells and enter into debate. Pull your pants up, Dodge, your prejudices and bigotry are showing.

the right turn says:

07:50pm | 14/09/11

All Daily Tonygraph readers vote Labor !
All Daily Telegraph readers and writers always vote Labor!
All Punch readers and all Punch Trolls vote Labor every time..
All Coalition Voters in opinion polls vote Labor at elections every time.
All Coalition Voters vote Labor every time!
Come out of the closet, Opinion Poll Coalition Supporters and reveal to everyone that you really vote Labor every single election.

Washington Irving says:

09:45pm | 14/09/11

He could resign and never be heard from again. That would make me pretty happy.

Horns Up says:

09:02am | 15/09/11

But I have this shiny thing here….ooooh pretty. Here you go… Good boy.

\m/

jf says:

12:21pm | 15/09/11

It was Sarah Palin (gotta love Google).

I can’t say that I’ve warmed to her in the past but she has hit the nail flush on the head.

Luke says:

02:01pm | 15/09/11

Wow, that’s a brilliant quote; and one that needs to be printed in large font in all the tabloids so that the ‘little people’ can realise how democracies across the world are broken.

Thanks Tracy.