Apprentice starves while Toowoomba Councillor jams money into super ...

While Toowoomba City Council Councillors lunch on their gourmet sandwiches, the Chronicle (14 June under the headline 'Administrative bungle shameful') reports that an apprentice with the Council tries to stretch $22 a day allowance to cover food, accommodation and transport while undertaking apprenticeship training in Brisbane.

The apprenticeship involves attending and passing a six-week TAFE course. An administrative bungle meant that the apprentice must attend Brisbane North Institute for his studies. He was advised by Council that he would receive a Government rebate of $22 per day to go towards his living expenses in Brisbane.

After intervention by the Electrical Trades Union, Council added $28 per day to the allowance, meaning the apprentice would have $50 per day while studying in Brisbane. This amount would be reimbursed after the apprentice paid for his expenses. The apprentice also works 10 hours each week at Coles to cover costs not met by his $350 per week apprentice salary.

Things changed when the story started to get publicity. Council CEO Philip Spencer advised that a place had suddenly been found at Toowoomba's TAFE. Problem solved - surprising it took so long.

Meanwhile, the Councillors continue to savour their gourmet sandwiches at Council meetings, ignoring the plight of the apprentice.

One Councillor is even contemplating a massive salary sacrifice of her Council salary into superannuation ahead of likely defeat at next year's Council election.

At the Committee Committee meeting on 6 June, Councillor Sue Englart requested that Councillors be briefed 'by experts in the field of superannuation' on Councillor salary sacrifice and other superannuation issues.

Sounds like at least one Councillor is preparing to abandon ship - by stuffing as much money as possible into her super fund through salary sacrifice by March next year ...