Public servants' sweet $300 health deal to spend on whatever they choose

FEDERAL public servants are being paid a $300-a-year "healthy lifestyle subsidy", but there's nothing to stop them spending the money on chocolate and beer.

Victorian Liberal senator Mitch Fifield said the payments, which cost taxpayers $1 million a year, should be subject to greater accountability.

Officials from the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs told a Senate committee they did not ask staff to prove the money was spent on healthy living.

"There would be nothing now stopping someone from using the $300 to buy deep-fried Mars bars?" asked Senator Fifield during the hearing.

"No," was the reply from department secretary Dr Jeff Harmer.

"While obviously we can't guarantee that they're not buying Mars bars, we don't want to employ the additional staff to make sure that they aren't."

Dr Harmer explained that many staff would use the subsidy for "gym membership and things like that".

Senator Fifield said the payment could "be easily rorted by bureaucrats".

"A payment to support good health is one thing, but there is no way to guarantee this money isn't spent down at the pub. Clearly, there is no accountability when it comes to this bonus," he said.

A department spokeswoman said later that employees were encouraged to have a healthy lifestyle because of the benefits this provided in terms of productivity and work attendance.

Public servants have received the payment for almost a decade but, until last year, were required to provide receipts.

They now receive an automatic payment to their bank account under efficiency changes made as part of their collective agreement with the union.

http://www.news.com.au/national/free-cash-fat-fight/story-e6frfkvr-1226012312095

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A million could buy a few houses for the homeless.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 6:41pm:




wrong for sure.

but the excuses....puhlllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease.for sicking a knife in someones face.

are you making excuse for the AFL as well pansi... shouldnt pick and choose after all.?????

we all handle stress differently after all.. so we can all use that as an excuse..I cant handle anymore taxes so I will go and stick a knife in someones face and get all kinds of sympathy....why they may even have a whip round for me to pay my ill gotten debts.

and no I havent seen people standing with signs no work..we have a bloody good welfare system in this country some say too good.. but its there..

her lawyer claims she was too proud... lol.. but not to proud to carry a knife and stick it in someones face and take their hard earned cash..

and where is all the sympathy plus excuses.. it never fails to amaze me..

cods wrote on Feb 26^th, 2011 at 7:27pm:



Will your fantasising ever stop?

This case confirms what I have written many times in the past.

There will come a time when so many jobs have left our shores when ppl have no money no where to live that after a short period of time they turn to crime.

ppl will be robbed bashed murdered etc for small amount sof food and money.

I ask you, if you had not eaten for 5 days had no home lived in your unregistered car and found your self in a situation where a lone member of the public was walking by who clearly had something you wanted what would you do???


You only have to look at what happens when society breaks down like in new Orleans??

The day of us being like Sth Africa is not far away????????

laborfornever wrote on Feb 27^th, 2011 at 3:46pm:



We can't continue the way we are going with wage increases every other week. We will either have the smallest best paid work force in history, or we will have everyone working for $3 an hour.

Or we could have a blend of agriculture, industrialisation and innovative technology/knowledge and go ahead like Japan and South Korea.