Dominion Post puts Kiwi lives at risk

The Dominion Post is running a series of articles on how expensive some of the overseas staff were working in the Diplomatic Service. They rail at the fact allowances are piad for sending Kiwis into foreign countries with their families. However, this puts a strain on those families, where they may have to endure frequent moving, limited access to work for the spouse, children school fees higher and general cost of living issues living in a foreign country on a NZ salary.

So MFAT make up for some of these problems by applying allowances.

Big deal.

But the Dom Post have gone too far today broadcasting "$154K for a repairman". Yes, that's right "The repairman, also known as "the fixer" by Interpol, was paid $154K last year for "structural changes" and "the cleaner" was paid an undisclosed fee for project "persian rug".

With one headline, they've blown the cover of our top paid assasins. If I were the editor, I'd be checking doors every night. It wont help.

/joking

Big winge fest here: Government Pays People Salaries and Allowances for being shipped around the world and required to adapt to life in foreign countries for often short term deployments (2-3 years).