Real reason so many sitting MPS are leaving

AN unprecedented number of elected members of the Federal Government have now reported they have made the decision not to run in the upcoming election.

This number compared to previous elections is extremely high. Some of them tell us that it’s for family reasons, others for their desire to serve their fellow citizens in other fields, and many other great stories to make us cry for them.

Besides all the tear-jerking that politicians have been giving about retiring, there is something else to consider.

In 2015, a change in the pension for MPS ensures that the age of full retirement for an MP having served at least six years, will no longer be 55 years but 65 years.

Thus, any MP not yet 65 and who wants to benefit from the present pension scheme, need only not run in the next election and thus will draw for 10 years longer a government pension of over $100,000/year.

For an elected MP approaching 55 and who is not running, that means about $1 million that he/ she would not receive should be/ she run and win again.

One should also add the severance premium (between $80,000 and $125,000) upon his/ her departure.

You can now understand better all these sudden “family emergencies” and “spending more time with my family” statements and appreciate the new-found desire to advance his/her career in a government job, or a committee of some sort. Often resulting in two or three salaries and possibly more pension income.

How sad is this? Having to give up your job so you can earn more money, and they tell us the time of entitlement is over?

E. GIMM, Condon.