What a joke!!!!
Families Minister Jenny Macklin claims she could live on $35 a day... which is the current Newstart Allowance for the unemployed in Australia.
Well, let's see shall we.... Start with $245 per week.
Subtract:
$250 for house rental = -$5
Hmmm, not looking good so far...
$45 for electricity = -$50
$30 for petrol/gas = -$80
$40 for food = -$120
That's meat and veg only. Danged sure there's no room for luxuries in there like milk, cheese, yoghurt, the nicer tropical fruits, luxury vegetables such as avocado... certainly no fish, which the experts tell us we should eat once a week for good health.
Already well into the red. And we haven't talked about car repairs, registration and insurance, clothing, dental, medical, birthday and Christmas gifts, school fees, books, pet food, vet bills, other utilities, etc.
With all due respect to acting Greens leader Adam Bandt, who is offering to try to live on that amount for a week - well, ANYONE can do it for a week, especially if you only buy food with that payment. Try it for six months, no dipping into your $300,000 a year salary as a minister, or your investments, or borrowing. Just try it! I dare you...
Honestly, are our politicians REALLY that removed from real life???