Two kinds of pay stories were out today. One about politicians. The other AFL players. Guess which one got the most coverage?

From next year, federal MPs will receive pay rises of at least $44,000 a year, taking backbenchers’ salaries to $185,000.

The Prime Minister will get $481,000.

In return, they’ll need to give up their controversial gold pass which offered 25 free return trips to retired MPs.

Now this may seem like a lot of money, and constituents have the right to have their say about how the money is being spent, given it’s their taxes which are funding MP salaries.

But let’s put things in perspective.

Today, the AFL and its Players’ Association agreed on pay conditions for the next five years. Without getting into too much detail, the average AFL player will receive a salary of $300,000 from 2016. That’s about 40 per cent more than an MP.

Politicians are meant to represent and serve the people, making decisions that impact society. They’re often on duty 24/7 thanks to the evolution of the internet, email and social media. They’re often scapegoats for decisions that go wrong, but that’s factored into their pay, just like any other figurehead who gets a premium for their role.

AFL players play sport. They train hard and are also in the limelight and are handsomely rewarded. They add a sense of regional pride. They’re also part of a greater business, that of the AFL, which in turn, makes a lot of money, from broadcasting rights.

Who deserves to get paid more?

MEMO>ricardo

Two kinds of pay stories were out today. One about politicians. The other AFL players. Guess which one got the most coverage?

From next year, federal MPs will receive pay rises of at least $44,000 a year, taking backbenchers’ salaries to $185,000.

The Prime Minister will get $481,000.

In return, they’ll need to give up their controversial gold pass which offered 25 free return trips to retired MPs.

Now this may seem like a lot of money, and constituents have the right to have their say about how the money is being spent, given it’s their taxes which are funding MP salaries.

But let’s put things in perspective.

Today, the AFL and its Players’ Association agreed on pay conditions for the next five years. Without getting into too much detail, the average AFL player will receive a salary of $300,000 from 2016. That’s about 40 per cent more than an MP.

Politicians are meant to represent and serve the people, making decisions that impact society. They’re often on duty 24/7 thanks to the evolution of the internet, email and social media. They’re often scapegoats for decisions that go wrong, but that’s factored into their pay, just like any other figurehead who gets a premium for their role.

AFL players play sport. They train hard and are also in the limelight and are handsomely rewarded. They add a sense of regional pride. They’re also part of a greater business, that of the AFL, which in turn, makes a lot of money, from broadcasting rights.

Who deserves to get paid more?

MEMO>ricardo

Not because I think it’s too much. I often think it’s too little.

News Limiting is running this morning, a story revealing Julia Gillard is receiving a $90,000 pay rise to around $470,000, which is $40,000 more than US President Barack Obama and more than double UK PM David Cameron’s $221,000.

Maybe it has something with the resource rich nation that Australia is, or in compensation for the over the top emphasis the media places on Australia’s leadership role and our politicians in general.

No matter what people think of our  or any leader, they are the figure head and often the scapegoat for any decisions made. They’re on display 24/7 and part of the compensation for that, is higher pay. That’s forgetting whether or not they’ve been deemed successful in that role.

In any case, I find it bizarre that the compensation for running a country, is dramatically less than that of running a company.

The Australian Financial Review found that of the top 300 companies, the average Australian leaders are paid is $2.33million last year.

The Australian Council of Super Investors says across the S&P/ASX100, Ralph Norris of CBA was the highest paid in 2010 with a total remuneration of more than $16million, followed by Westfield’s Frank Lowy at $15.9million and then Leighton Holding’s Wal King at $14.7million.

Granted, companies stimulate, drive, grow and develop the economy of a nation, but they’re also there to provide the best possible return to shareholders.

So who should be paid more, executives that lead a business, or politicians that run a country?

I personally think journalists need a Christmas pay rise for pumping out more content than usual over the silly season because there’s less news to cover, but still the same amount of on air time to fill, but I’m kind of biased.

Not because I think it’s too much. I often think it’s too little.

News Limiting is running this morning, a story revealing Julia Gillard is receiving a $90,000 pay rise to around $470,000, which is $40,000 more than US President Barack Obama and more than double UK PM David Cameron’s $221,000.

Maybe it has something with the resource rich nation that Australia is, or in compensation for the over the top emphasis the media places on Australia’s leadership role and our politicians in general.

No matter what people think of our  or any leader, they are the figure head and often the scapegoat for any decisions made. They’re on display 24/7 and part of the compensation for that, is higher pay. That’s forgetting whether or not they’ve been deemed successful in that role.

In any case, I find it bizarre that the compensation for running a country, is dramatically less than that of running a company.

The Australian Financial Review found that of the top 300 companies, the average Australian leaders are paid is $2.33million last year.

The Australian Council of Super Investors says across the S&P/ASX100, Ralph Norris of CBA was the highest paid in 2010 with a total remuneration of more than $16million, followed by Westfield’s Frank Lowy at $15.9million and then Leighton Holding’s Wal King at $14.7million.

Granted, companies stimulate, drive, grow and develop the economy of a nation, but they’re also there to provide the best possible return to shareholders.

So who should be paid more, executives that lead a business, or politicians that run a country?

I personally think journalists need a Christmas pay rise for pumping out more content than usual over the silly season because there’s less news to cover, but still the same amount of on air time to fill, but I’m kind of biased.