Best On Day

Rules on parliamentary sick leave

Righto. Chris Carter wants two weeks months sick leave and is applying to the speakers office to do so.Fair enough, he's sought medical advice, but, unlike the plebs, he doesn't have to supply a sick note.Parties can only give 14 sitting days sick leave - that's just over four and a half weeks. Carter can get more sick leave if he applies to the speakers office. He could get about three and a half weeks to make up the two months.

If it is not granted, Carter could lose $10 a day off his pay. At a salary of $145,000 that's about 10 minutes pay per day. The most he can lose is $150 off his pay ( at a maximum of $30 per week as there are three sitting days each week).

Does that mean that he can take sick leave on practically full pay even if the speaker doesn't grant it? If so, why, when the rest of us have to take annual leave when sick leave runs out.

Oh and Chris Carter has got some supporters who have a blog now. Nice, too, apart from the spelling.At least they got rid of the " hello world" post.Finally.