The Greens senator, who likes to criticize others for making mistakes – using the Senate committee system as a star chamber – has made her own mistake again by getting her numbers wrong during a Senate committee hearing this week .
Senator Barbara Pocock was using her platform to try to criticize the Bureau of Meteorology for a cost explosion, when she wrongly accused the department of overspending by $55 billion instead of $55 million.
With a wry smile, she corrected her mistake, but it is not the first time that the former economics professor has changed her figures.
A month ago, Daily Mail Australia revealed Senator Pocock’s $99.9 million gaffe when he questioned government officials about a “missing” $100 million payment that didn’t actually exist, compounding the mistake by tweeting to the regard.
The payment she mistakenly referred to was actually $100,000, not $100 million, and although the senator claimed that “key milestones had not been adequately met”, both the government department and the service provider denied this.
Not good with numbers? Senator Barbara Pocock (pictured) got her numbers wrong again
The Greens senator eventually deleted her inaccurate tweet, but only after questions from Daily Mail Australia.
The senator’s latest arithmetic error may also be a false accusation, with the Bureau of Meteorology challenging the way he described the costs he refers to. The questions have been taken into account.
The senator also used an ABC radio interview in July last year to claim that corporations such as large consulting firms do not pay payroll taxes in Australia.
However, this is not true either. These companies pay payroll taxes on their employees like any other company.
Mistakes happen, right? Former economics professor Barbara Pocock (photos) continues to make mistakes
This week, a New South Wales parliamentary committee delivered its report on the consulting profession.
The Greens on that committee recommend that the payroll tax be applied to partners in large consulting firms, not just employees, something that does not apply to any other partnership arrangement in any other profession.
It would represent double taxation.
However, at least the NSW committee has reported on time, unlike its federal colleagues. t
The NSW committee began its investigations long after Pocock’s Senate committee was formed and began its hearings, but has now reported to it.
The Senate committee has delayed delivering its report on at least four separate occasions. It was due to report today, but it appears to have now been delayed for the fifth time.
This despite claiming that reforms in the sector are “urgently needed.”
