Axe Life Gold Pass for one-term PMs: Bernardi
CORY Bernardi has outlined part of his plan to “clean up Canberra” and Tony Abbott is in the firing line.
The newly independent senator says Prime Ministers who serve less than one term should not be entitled to the Life Gold Pass.
Legislation to axe the Life Gold Pass for all MPs exempt Prime Ministers is expected to go before the senate tomorrow.
Senator Bernardi told ABC this morning if the Government was serious about cleaning up the entitlements system, Prime Ministers who serve less than four years should not get travel perk for life.
“We have had a revolving door of Prime Ministers,” Senator Bernardi said.
“I do not know why anybody who serves for less than four years in the job of Prime Minister should receive access to a gold pass.”
Tony Abbott, Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd would all lose access to the perk under Senator Bernardi’s proposed amendment to the legislation.
Currently former Prime Ministers are able to claim 10 domestic return flights per year courtesy of the taxpayer.
“We need to clean up Canberra and this is a step in that direction,” Mr Bernardi said.
If Senator Bernardi’s amendment did gain support in the Senate, it would then be sent back to the House of Representatives.
The Turnbull Government will also face opposition from one of its own on the entitlements bill in the upper house.
Veteran Liberal senator Ian Macdonald has said he will not support its proposal to axe the Life Gold Pass.
The backbencher, who is paid $200,000 a year, told a partyroom meeting last week it was time someone stood up for politicians, insisting they were not “particularly well paid”.
Originally published as Bernardi’s plan to cut Life Gold Pass