Former MP Eddie Obeid set to lose pollies pension

Thanks to changes in legislation corrupt politicians are no longer eligible for their parliamentary pensions.

Earlier this month Starts at 60 reported that Eddie Obeid was still getting his pollies pension, despite being sentenced to five years in jail for misconduct in public office. In December last year, then-premier Mike Baird said when Parliament resumed in 2017, the Government would move to amend the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Act 1971. Nothing had been done at the start of this month, and questions were being asked why. We now have answers.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian yesterday introduced legislation that seeks to deny former politicians their pension entitlements if convicted of serious criminal offences committed during their terms — even if they are charged after leaving parliament. This means that not only would Obeid lose the cash, so too would fellow former NSW Labour MP Ian Macdonald. Macdonald, a former colleague of Obied, was convicted of the same offence in March. He is still awaiting sentencing.

The Australian reported that Berejiklian, who replaced Baird after his resignation in late January, said the changes were a reminder for politicians to serve the people, not themselves. “Unless these changes are made, politicians convicted of ­serious criminal offences will be able to live off their taxpayer-funded pension entitlement and that’s just not fair,” Premier Berejiklian said. “The days of Obeid, Macdonald and their cronies benefiting at the expense of the people of NSW are over.”

The legislation is expected to pass with support from the Labor opposition.

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