Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, that is right—Senator Wortley. She did her work for the union. She tried her best to make sure we could not find out what their pay was. But, as I said, I know that Barrie Cassidy and Tony Jones work more than the couple of hours a week we see them on the telly, but I think our constituents would like to know just what money they get for what jobs they do, and that seems to me to be perfectly reasonable.

Our constituents are entitled to know what I do, what I get and what my travel is, but I think we need the same for all of those who are on the taxpayers' purse. I could go through literally hundreds of statutory agencies. You do get an annual report. In the annual report, you get a range of salaries that are paid to a range of people, but the principle of us as parliamentarians—and people can be in no doubt about what Senator Farrell receives for his pay as a senior member of the opposition.