runner,

"come on Hasbeen Tony punched the air 40 years ago and that got far more coverage from the abc/sbs. And lets not forget about Gillards captains pick."

That would be the air he encountered directly before he made contact with the wall on either side of Ms Ramjan's head?

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/barrister-backs-womans-claim-of-abbott-intimidation-20120912-25svh.html

Seeing as we're into comparisons
here's another one:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/former-lnp-mp-scott-driscoll-changed-with-fraud-soliciting-commissions/story-fnihsrf2-1227082794404

cont'd ...

And on more:

http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/ten-reasons-to-remember-the-newman-government-unkindly,7235

It seems that Queenslanders did remember.

How they will judge the current state of affairs
now remains to be seen.

To understand what is happening in Queensland requires some familiarity with the history behind accountability and anti-corruption in that State.

However to cut to the chase, the shock defeat of the Newman government owed a lot to the protest vote from the Labor Opposition demonising the government and its leader Newman as 'suspect'. Some here might remember (it would be difficult to forget) how Tony Fitzgerald injected himself into the fray immediately before the poll, encouraging a protest vote (which would have been aimed at Labor too presumably if they were in government). Fitzgerald had a broader agenda. His criticism was bi-partisan he said and the solutions bipartisan.

Labor's Anna Bligh tried the same approach, demonising her political opponents as corrupt, even referring Mr Newman and his family to the Crime and Misconduct Commission. Newman was cleared, but Anna Bligh didn't apologise. Bligh lost that election, but Newman was smeared for the electoral period and through Labor advertising.

Annastacia Palascszuk has made a lot of claims and promises to put integrity before politics in Queensland and if her statements before the election are forgotten there is always the four pages of promises made to Independent MJP Peter Wellington to get his support to form government in the first place,

http://media.apnarm.net.au/116.8/img/media/pdf/letter_to_nicklin-r1gauqikyana7hahmj2.pdf

Regarding the idea convicted criminals should be denied access to welfare; Aiden writes: "And removing their entitlement for welfare payments would likely result in much more crime as some of them would perceive they had no alternative."

Or, they could get a job like the rest of us and be a positive contributing member of society.

If you are saying criminals don't reform then I stand by my comments that ex-criminals shouldn't be allowed in Parliament as the temptation for corruption will be too great.

ConservativeHippie,

Why are we singling out this guy? I mean all politicians have probably done something criminal or morally wrong - who knows when. Seriously, I think people need to have a re-think on this one.

Are all politicans 100% innocent - morally or legally? No. Get serious.

Too many politicians are being thrown out by party leaders over petty things like accepting bottles of wine or having dinners with others. It's called petty politics - and the taxpayer has to foot the bill for expensive by-elections.

Spilling some wine at a dinner? Eating junk food, sending a bad message to youth? Getting a speeding fine? Not getting on with your annoying next door neighbour? Something else?

The Queensland Premier has given the impression more background checks are needed on election candidates - maybe, but I would argue against judgement until someone is found guilty - but clearly she's won your vote - and I would argue this 'demand' is nothing more than a publicity exercise. If she truly believes in what's she's said, will she have all of her party members checked by police?