Does the Government have a policy of not employing family members?

[donnashuggy]

Just to be sure, it sounds legit (researching from home)

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-14/former-mp-alex-somlyay-defends-employing-wife-as-researcher...

[**meep**]

I have  no idea....

[polksaladallie]

Doubts over work by wife of ex-MP Alex Somlyay

Taxpayers have allegedly been defrauded tens of thousands of dollars by a recently retired Liberal Party federal MP, who appears to have paid his wife for non-existent work in his electorate office.

Read more at www.theage.com.au

[lyndal1838]

If they do then there are a lot of politicians who completely ignore it.

[cherry*135]

They can employ family members. The problem in this instance is that, that family member was paid but never attended work and they even got a substantial pay increase in their in annual salary.

Yesterday it was reported that ex MP said ,when asked about his wife working for him but never being seen at the office... get lost, basically

Today.. he has decided to say she did research.. which is fair enough, if he can show what research she did, who it was submitted to etc.

From the Age link:

Despite not showing up to work or being seen to have done any work in the past year, Mrs Donovan got a pay rise during this period.

From September 2012 to April 2013, her taxpayer-funded salary was $64,085. Her salary jumped to $78,844 between July and December 2013.

[cherry*135]

While it was not illegal for Mr Somlyay to employ his wife in his electorate office, payments for non-existent work, if proved, could constitute fraud.

[donnashuggy]

It should be easy to prove that she was working I would imagine 🙂

[cherry*135]

Federal Government frontbencher Christopher Pyne says the allegations will be investigated if a complaint is made.

He says the Government has a policy of not allowing MPs to employ family members.

"I'm sure if there's any wrongdoing it will be pursued by the appropriate authorities, I guess, if somebody lays a complaint," he said.

"I understand that no-one's done that."

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has declined to comment on the reports, but says all MPs should be held accountable.

"I've always had a standard in my team that it's not at all preferable to employ family members," he said.

"I'm not saying it's never happened in my Government, there've been some instances, but our standard is one where we don't encourage it.

"The Labor Party, by the way, do it all the time."  

[silverfaun]

Govt bashing thread number 100? or is that being too conservative?

[cherry*135]

Depends what the outcome is...  did the ex MP's wife do the work she was paid for. Why was her surname changed through her employment  reverting back to her maiden name?