That Scott Cam is being paid $350K by taxpayers to perform a glorified role of National Careers Ambassador, with unclear parameters and no accountability, needs to be questioned.
That S Cam is paid such a large sum to perform this unspecified role while the Government refuses to increase funding for the sector he is meant to be promoting, is certainly cause for concern.
But that “Scam” dares to be offended when questioned about this plum position, paid for by us and apparently devoid of any scrutiny, while others must continually justify their meagre payments from the Government, is not only cause for alarm bells, it says a lot about the way this Morrison Government operates.
SCAMMING CAM
And how it operates is by making the business of “jobs for the boys” (plus a few girls but never at the expense of the boys) its primary focus.
For those who may not be aware of Scam’s “Cam Scam” spectacular, it emerged this week during Senate Estimates that the TV presenter has so far been paid $100,000 of his $350,000 salary for a total output of four social media posts in three months. Following in the footsteps of Barnaby Joyce’s exemplary report writing skills, in which Joyce claimed he sent “reports” about the drought to the PM via SMS, Scam then went on to righteously defend his salary.
Scam told the media that it was all about his “brand”, that he needed to “feed his family” and that it was none of our business.
We probably don’t need to know exactly what Scam’s family eats, of course, but that’s a lot of toilet paper right there — not to mention a lot of welfare for a job not so well done.
Scam then went on the attack, demanding Sky News presenter Annelise Nielsen reveal what she earns. Nielsen didn’t miss a beat, answering calmly: “I’m not paid by taxpayers”.
SCAMMING THE POOR
And most of us are not. However, there is a small but significant group that is paid the taxpayer-funded Newstart allowance. Those on Newstart, who also need to feed their families, receive the princely sum of $265 per week or approximately five per cent of what this Government pays Scott Cam: $5,783 per week.
For this allowance, these recipients are subjected to constant harassment by the Government and vilification by the mainstream media. They have been hounded for fictitious debts by the Government’s own “Robodebt” collection system. Many have been put on the demeaning cashless welfare card, to ensure they spend their money wisely. And In case they haven’t suffered enough, there are ongoing calls from a growing sadistic element within the Government for Newstart recipients to be drug tested.
This week, Christian Porter, the Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and architect of Robodebt, once again demonstrated how little this Government cares.
Referring to those who are one step above people starving on Newstart, Porter said that the 3.3 million Australians who work on a casual basis would be able to cope with unpaid leave for the coronavirus crisis because:
“Many people would have already made provisions for that because, of course, the purpose of casual employment is that you’re paid extra in-lieu of the types of entitlements.”
This Morrison Government is unconcerned about the poor going hungry. Nor is it interested in value for money from the likes of Scotty Cam. It is only interested in furthering its own interests.
And the Prime Minister #ScottyTheSalesMan (his latest social media moniker) is more interested in selling his own “brand” and promoting the “brands” of his mates than he is in doing the job for which he is also overpaid: governing.
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