Asia-Pacific News
Civil servants lose taxpayer-funded massages in Australia
Jul 3, 2010, 7:03 GMT
Sydney - Australian civil servants on Saturday demanded the return of taxpayer-funded aromatherapy sessions, hand rubs, massages and tai chi classes.
'Every modern employer encourages work-based programmes promoting preventative health,' Public Sector Union spokeswoman Karen Batt said.
She was defending a perk costing the Victorian state government 50,000 Australian dollars (43,000 US dollars) a year that was suspended last week when the opposition Liberal Party raised the issue in Parliament.
'You've got to ask how this extravagance helps taxpayers, how this extravagance is justified and whether this is the best use of precious taxpayer funds,' opposition spokesman David Davis said when demanding an end to the freebies.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Asia-Pacific
- 1. Chinese dissidents hail late democracy activist Fang Lizhi
- 2. China "worried" over planned North Korea rocket launch
- 3. Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets Karen rebels
- 4. Chinese schoolboy sells kidney to buy iPad, iPhone
- 5. Myanmar president invites Karen rebels to form party
Older Talkback
