What about the other side of the coin? If we get ever increasing numbers of politicians then we will either need a new Parliament House every few decades or the existing building will need extensions or get more crowded.

Also, the more parliamentarians the less each one will get a chance to speak or be listened to.

I say we should have a Parliament of fixed size and be done with it.

Bren, it is rare that all politicians would have need to be in attendance in Parliament at the same time. For Question Time or a debate, only those with an interest in the issue, ministers, shadow ministers, or cross-benchers, would be there. The fact that you are an MP does not mean you have to stand up and give a speech on every bill presented.

The UK has had between 650 and 707 members in their 427 seat House of Commons for a century and that has never hindered their famous polemic debates. In the not-that-common instances were a controversial partisan bill has to be voted upon, members who can’t get seats simply remain standing in the aisles until the count is completed.

With one single exception we are the most over-governed nation on the planet and we pay for it! We could have had a rapid rail, ultra cheap nuclear power, an inland canal and our arid inland turned into a food bowl for the world if our pollies were on their game and putting Australia and Australians first!

It's all about them, winning power, their lavish lifestyles and SFA else! Kevin Andrews makes my point with his 123 negatively geared real estate investments? As do retired pollies living on taxpayer funded pensions! If pollies weren't quarantined for the outcome of their policies, our world would be a far better place!
Alan B.

Not to me mention the $10K plus the candidates get, and the $2.19 for every vote they get.

We need more of these bastards like we need a hold in the head.

I'll drink to that ttbn, if anything we should be reducing the number of MPs, & quite drastically at that.

Yes Hasbeen, what we do not now need are state governments and the 70 billion plus bill that pays for their existence and nothing else.

There are cities bigger than Oz where a single council manages a bigger city budget! And because they come with genuine business and management skills they don't need a veritable army of highly paid public servants holding their hand every step of the way.

During the Great Depression recently retired professionals manned many boards as unpaid volunteers and councilors had only their expenses refunded.

That spirit has disappeared with the folk that made a difference at the lowest point in our recent history. Now-a-days it's every man for himself, particularly in so called public life?

If we would have small government, we need folk with business savvy and management skills of their own and not need to ask (highly paid) others to do their thinking for them!
Alan B.