23 July

To continue my highly popular defence of politicians ;) Remember these people run the country, you may think they don't do it well, but we all know a lot of other jobs we've come into contact with where people aren't doing them well, it's not the point. Here's the data from the last census on the top 50 paying jobs in Australia (I notice CEOs are 49, which makes me suspect these are average figures, some CEOs make more than a million dollars per year.) Men first, then women. Perspective, people, politicians come in at 41. Medical specialists dominate the list, if you want to see why medicine costs so much, this is one key reason. And they're being paid with taxpayer dollars and your privately funded insurance (which is heavily subsidised by taxpayer dollars as well). 1. Neurosurgeon $577,674 2. Ophthalmologist $552,947 3. Cardiologist $453,253 4. Plastic and reconstructive surgeon $448,530 5. Gynaecologist; obstetrician $446,507 6. Otorhinolaryngologist $445,939 7. Orthopedic surgeon $439,629 8. Urologist $433,792 9. Vascular surgeon $417,524 10. Gastroenterologist $415,192 11. Diagnostic and interventional radiologist $386,003 12. Dermatologist $383,880 13. Judge — law $381,323 14. Anaesthetist $370,492 15. Cardiothoracic surgeon $358,043 16. Surgeon — general $357,996 17. Specialist physicians — other $344,860 18. Radiation oncologist $336,994 19. Medical oncologist $322,178 20. Securities and finance dealer $320,452 21. Thoracic medicine specialist $315,444 22. Specialist physician — general medicine $315,114 23. Intensive care specialist $308,033 24. Renal medicine specialist $298,681 25. Neurologist $298,543 26. Financial investment manager $288,790 27. Investment broker $286,530 28. Paediatric surgeon $282,508 29. Clinical haematologist $271,738 30. Futures trader $264,830 31. Endocrinologist $258,972 32. Australian cricketer $257,527 33. Rheumatologist $256,933 34. Dental specialist $253,442 35. Magistrate $246,737 36. Equities analyst; investment dealer $245,826 37. Paediatrician $239,405 38. Stock exchange dealer; stockbroker $238,192 39. Psychiatrist $234,557 40. Emergency medicine specialist $232,595 41. Member of Parliament $232,093 42. Pathologist $224,378 43. Company secretary — corporate governance $218,432 44. State governor $212,652 45. Actuary $196,144 46. Sports physician $187,468 47. Petroleum engineer $185,808 48. (joint with 49) Chief executive officer $181,849 49. Executive director; managing director; public servant — secretary or deputy secretary $181,849 50. Mining production manager $179,439