Dave suggests changing Political orthodoxy into political heterodoxy.

I think the status quo will revolt.

My bet? Nothing is about to change.

Politicians use to be unpaid, but they had to be rich to be able to spare the time. Now, very few people do anything on a voluntary basis, so it's a waste of time even talking about unpaid politicians. Modern politicians are not much good for anything, including politicking; their incomes are a form of charity for the useless. At least we are no longer paying this ex-senator for being useless.

When the Westminister system of parliament was first established, the positions were all unpaid. Later when the Labor party got members elected. because they could both support themselves and serve. the parliament voted to provide a very modest stipend.

Even Menzies, when he retired, was homeless and the hat was passed around to buy him a house.

Much has changed since then, we have moved from the third wealthiest nation on the planet and a creditor one at that. To one mired in record foreign, domestic and government debt, along with record homelessness, The gap between the haves and the have nots, never ever wider! It's a record that's hardly praiseworthy unless it was the result of the inmates taking over and running the asylum?

Pollies today, are, by and large, professional career politicians, with little real-world experience and forever quarantined from the consequences of the often absurd asinine decisions they take!

And then we wonder why the nation is slipping further and further back! with no respite or vision in sight! That said, they are the extremely well-paid numbskulls our own numbskulls repeatedly reelected!

Go figure.
Alan B.

Apologies and correction "Could support themselves and"
Should be read as couldn't and.
. Alan B.

Yep. Been airing my views on this topic for a long time. We've totally screwed up allowing parlimentary pay rates to grow the way they have.
Pretty well unfixable now.
I'd agree with covering genuine expenses and an attendance allowance, to compensate forgone wages and the like, but never that it become some sort of salaried career.
All the wrong incentives are created the way it is now.
David's right. You only have to drive past electorate offices and see all the advertising plastered all over them. All says the same thing, vote for me. That's what the money incentivises.
I'd sooner they be worried about their private day job or family business. Then we'd have actual representatives who're just like the rest of us.
This is a lot of what's "broken".

The greed is most apparent within the Public service where they even see it as their "Right" to have coffee provided by the taxpayer.