Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, has announced that she will take a 20% pay cut in support of those impacted by the coronavirus. Her entire cabinet, as well as several other key government figures, will also take the cut in pay.
With many people applauding Ardern for the move, there’s been increased pressure for Aussie PM Scott Morrison to take a similar step.
Jacinda Ardern confirms she will cop a 20% pay decrease but we haven’t seen the same commitment from our own government.
Many have called for ScoMo to take a similar pay cut to show support for Aussies who are under intense financial hardship, but Morrison isn’t on board with the idea and has even gone as far to compare government federal bureaucrats to the work of frontline emergency workers, in what has been deemed a degrading and ignorant comment.
“They’re as much on the front line saving people’s livelihoods as, frankly, nurses working in hospitals,” Morrison told a Perth radio station when asked about the potential pay cuts of government public service workers.
He continued to say that he will not “compete” with other governments such as New Zealand who have pledged to take on the pay decrease for at least six months.
