Free massages banned

The new Australian Government has banned taxpayer-funded massages for pampered bureaucrats as part of an austerity drive.

Assistant Treasurer Chris Bowen said public service chiefs have been told that they and their staff would have to pay for their own back rubs as part of a clampdown on public sector largesse and waste.

The most recent figures produced in Parliament showed that bureaucrats spent A$108,710 ($124,382) in public money on rub downs in 2004.

While not all public servants are eligible for the perk, those that were spent an average of A$200 for the year.