Former prime minister Scott Morrison has announced he will quit parliament at the end of February, triggering a by-election in the seat of Cook.

http://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/former-prime-minister-scott-morrison-is-set-to-retire-from-parliament-triggering-new-byelection/news-story/91b4740ee8aa0b82068ac1fd0dbbbf98

He was known for spending time overseas on holiday in Hawaii whilst we had major bushfires raging in Australia and for taking on a range of portfolios in secret without the knowledge of others.

Scott Morrison will be taking on new roles overseas. Yes it's a personal choice, but dragging voters through another by-election is something people should not be put through.

I was doing some research for this topic and found former SA Premier Steven Marshall will now also be quitting forcing a by-election there. It's like its all taken for granted.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-24/former-premier-steven-marshall-set-to-quit-politics/103382620

Should politicians pay a fine if they quit politics early for selfish reasons to help pay the costs of these by-elections?

Dear Nathan,

People elected their representative.
If the way their representative "represents" them is by no longer attending parliament AND supposing that is not how the electors want it to be, then it was their own mistake and if they want to correct that mistake by electing a different representative, then they must bear the costs... or keep the situation as it is and have no representative.

In general, people should be free to change their representative AT ANY TIME, as frequently as they like.
However, the tax-payer need not fund their frequent changes of mind.

Whether the former representative should foot the bill instead, is subject to the previous private agreements between the people and that representative.

Nathan

You know full well the no politician has ever been 'fined' for quitting early. Morrison became useless after he lost the election and the leadership, and he is giving the voters of Cook the chance of getting a better person for the job early instead of having a dud until the next election.

Have you asked this question whenever a politician on the other side of politics has packed it in before an election?,

Hi Nathan,

There is no such "law" that allows for what your question suggests. As for ScumO' Morrison resigning, he's doing the people of Cook a favour, he's been less than useless as a backbencher ever since the election. He's landed himself a cushy job, and that's it.

It’s poor policy to make people go through the trouble of such by-elections. Why not put the resigning person’s deputy in temporary i.e. caretaker mode until the next election ?
Similarly, under/non-performing bureaucrats are kept with good money wasted on them because they can’t be moved on or even better, out !
All these ill-conceived policies by incompetent or corrupt policy makers should be reviewed to be changed if needed at every election. So much could be achieved by doing everything at elections & be done with it until the next election.

Hi Nathan,

Politicians leave their jobs early for a variety of reasons.
I don't think they should be penalized for doin so.
The end result usually gives the voters better outcomes -
so it's a win-win situation.