MPs setting their own salary - in secret

Yet another thing to get grumpy about is the salaries paid to Members of Parliament (MPs). This article tells how the New Zealand parliament is investigating a bill that would put more power in their hands to set their own salaries. While this is already ridiculous (I wish I could set my own salary, unfortunately I can't and have to negotiate based on my performance - you know, actually work for my money) the hearing is being held in secret.Now, I'm all for paying MPs well, as a preventative measure against corruption (New Zealand has very low rates of corruption, which is one of the things I love about it), but as the people who employ the MPs, and pay their salaries via taxes, we have the right to hear what is being said when they set their salaries. We should have a right to have a say in the salaries directly, but in one of the few cases of consistent parliamentary unity, MPs have always retained that power for themselves.