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@catmad*2013 wrote:

I 100% agree with anyone claiming expenses of volunteering. It is so hard to get anyone to help these days that I think politicians can lead the way and often encourage others to also volunteer. 

 

As for this direct claim I am happy for this to be paid on my behalf. He is representing the government and showing that as a whole we care for the indigenous people. He has made real changes in those forgotten communities. 

 

Why is everyone only focusing on the LNP claims? I hear that there are lots of labor pollies that also have paid back claims? 

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He was not representing the government at the time he claimed these excessive travel expenses. It was pure campaigning followed by lies about his time there.  

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@purplecarrot-top wrote:
Lol catmad why am I not surprised at your replies? If Gillard had done this you would have been wielding the big stick.

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Actually I would have applauded her if she went to remote locations for a week and helped the indiginous people of this country. 

If she claimed for all of those visits to promote her passion for womens rights, all those visits to girls schools, all those visits to Emilies lists events and any other visit I would not argue she could not claim them. She is promoting a passion (I may not agree with the Emilies list but she does) and as a leader, the first female PM, she has a powerful message that is of benefit to the community. 

Iza, you think Tony Abbott just goes for photo events?? You are so incredibly wrong. he helps build, clean, fix up, encourage the young people and let the elders know that we do care. he encourages other business people to get involved. 

The thing that many people do not understand about visiting as a politician is that you might only get to spend a few days doing exactly what you intend to do... the other few days are spent with people that want to wine and dine, talk about policies, chew your ear about their needs and just being their. Traveling to and from those locations also involves a very long journey. 

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/fact-checker/fact-checker-coalition-leader-tony-abbotts-bush-...

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@catmad*2013 wrote:

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@purplecarrot-top wrote:
Lol catmad why am I not surprised at your replies? If Gillard had done this you would have been wielding the big stick.

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Actually I would have applauded her if she went to remote locations for a week and helped the indiginous people of this country. 

 

If she claimed for all of those visits to promote her passion for womens rights, all those visits to girls schools, all those visits to Emilies lists events and any other visit I would not argue she could not claim them. She is promoting a passion (I may not agree with the Emilies list but she does) and as a leader, the first female PM, she has a powerful message that is of benefit to the community. 

 

 

Iza, you think Tony Abbott just goes for photo events?? You are so incredibly wrong. he helps build, clean, fix up, encourage the young people and let the elders know that we do care. he encourages other business people to get involved. 

 

The thing that many people do not understand about visiting as a politician is that you might only get to spend a few days doing exactly what you intend to do... the other few days are spent with people that want to wine and dine, talk about policies, chew your ear about their needs and just being their. Traveling to and from those locations also involves a very long journey. 

 

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/fact-checker/fact-checker-coalition-leader-tony-abbotts-bush-...

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Would you mind finding a single example of a time Abbott went to a remote community for a week.

Not a single one of the claims I've seen have been for a week, That's just the line that's repeated over and over . The claims are all for one to three days and no, it's not volunteering when you claim more per day than the locals get per week.

no it isn't volunteering, its electioneering . volunteers don't get paid.

I think we understand very well what job politicians have. We're not all stupid. But nothing can take away from what is clearly rorting the system.

• How can us paying for him and his wife and daughters to attend the Melbourne Grand Final and the Melbourne Cup in any way part of a legitimate claim?
• How is us paying for the travel costs for the promotion of his book in any way legitimate?
• How is us paying for his bike rides under the guise of "charity work" legitimate?

It is what it is.

do you know how long it takes to get to those communities? 

From start to finish it will be a week. 

he might have only had three full days on the ground building things but there would also be travel time and time to meet with leaders. 

I guess you have zero idea of how things work when it comes to these sort of events. 

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@spotweldersfriend wrote:
Well if we're paying for it,that means I'm volunteering too, technically. Where's my resume?

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why shouldn't we all put that on our resumes anyway ?

It looks good and such claims may help you win the job .

though if we all do it...someone claiming that they volunteer would be reduced to meaning next to nothing wouldn't it ?

the word might = zero idea of  actual fact