A public integrity advocate says reported payments to ex-prime ministers by Anthony Pratt raise broader concerns about the payment of pensions to retired politicians.
Society should reconsider whether politicians should further receive retirement benefits given some take up lucrative lobbying jobs, a director of the Centre for Public Integrity, barrister Geoffrey Watson, SC, said after it was reported that former prime ministers Paul Keating and Tony Abbott may be on the payroll of billionaire box king Anthony Pratt.
“There seems to be a weakness in our system insofar we have historically set aside substantial sums to pay pensions to our politicians.“We don’t know what services he is getting, seeking or receiving from these powerful politicians who are receiving this money but he wouldn’t be doing it out of altruism. It is presumably to obtain some kind of advantage in either his commercial or private life or more probably both,” suggested Mr Watson.
“If Potus is having his election party at Mar Lago I’ll book as many rooms as available,” one message from Pratt said, referring to a common acronym for president of the United States.
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