Fox,

Fat lot of good it did Harry Jenkins to be such a good Speaker. Julia Gillard shafted him just the same.

-To install her man, Slipper as Speaker. Gillard the infallible misogynist detector (where a man looking at his watch was concerned), fought long and hard to protect and shield Slipper through thick and thin (with the full agreement of some notable OLO Grrls, maybe yourself, eh Fox?). Here is a report from the time,

http://www.news.com.au/national/revealed-what-peter-slippers-sexist-text-messages-actually-said/story-fndo4eg9-1226492172640

However you DO defend Gillard's record, right?

Fact is, all you, Labor and the treacherous, headline-hunting Greens are doing is reveling in kicking up a political stink, at gutter level, where if you really had the superior morality you claim to have you would have simply noted the error, the agreement to pay back along with a loading and moved on to devote some time to those serious problems of the Struggle Streets identified by 'your' ABC.

Mark Latham is right about the 'Progressive' career politicians who infest Labor, their social concern and morality are all B.S. - Gay marriage and playing the fool in the Parliament are far more pressing things than the Struggle Streets.

http://tinyurl.com/p6kts6c

If you forget your partisanship and Abbottphobia for an instant you might recognise that both sides of politics support the Minchin Protocols for travel and politicians and neither side including the Greens have ever been on the front foot to introduce tighter, more specific controls. Rhetoric at times, but NO action.

You might also note that particularly since the political parties have moved to put their own (wo)men in senior public appointments and to corporatise public agencies, the ethical difficulties involving travel and other entitlements appear to have increased there too.

Bluntly, you are cocking you leg to pee on a shrub while refusing to acknowledge the forest behind (or the problem-stricken slums that are 'Struggle Street').

When will the ubiquitous "they" realise that career pollies are only interested in their career - travel, study trips, perks, prestige (albeit somewhat questionable the prestige bit as most are [all?] can be lumped together in the grouping of the lady who plays the piano in the 'House of the Rising' song fame while those that sell second hand cars are unfairly 'discriminated' against by all and sundry. No, I'm not one of those but I digress . . . We need a referendum on how much perks federal pollies should receive when they are serving and supposed to retire after a 'wonderful career serving either the Party line and/or themselves' - Jesus wept!

Dear Poirot,

It is all up to Mr Abbott to now put his money where
his mouth was regarding his pursuit of Peter Slipper.
It was Mr Abbott who stated to Julia Gillard on the
need for Peter Slipper to stand down -

"It is very important that the PM acts to ensure the
integrity of the Parliament."

Indeed, and on that basis PM Abbott knows exactly what
he has to do.

otb,

What you are doing is trying to pee on my leg
and tell me it's raining.

Not a good look.

It's already been pointed out to you
that - "the privileged culture that mostly turns a
blind eye to such behaviour (from all political sides)
must be exposed and changed so that the
entitlements system can be made more transparent and
MPs (all MPs) more accountable for how they spend public
money."

Yet you still continue to point to and sledge only one side of
politics - while defending the other. And then accusing others
for precisely your own behaviour.

Give it a rest.
You have no moral authority here.

Our Bronnie's a doozy!

They just keep coming....

"Under-fire Speaker Bronwyn Bishop has defended charging taxpayers thousands for expensive car trips on days when she went to the opera.

A Fairfax Media analysis of Mrs Bishop's travel entitlement claims between 2010 and 2013 showed the Speaker has charged taxpayers more than $3300 across at least eight days she attended the theatre and other arts events.

On February 2, 2013, Mrs Bishop - then shadow special minister of state and for seniors - charged taxpayers more than $1000 for the use of a car."

"The $1000 in charges by Mrs Bishop that Saturday were expensed in two amounts, both classified as "taxi". But politicians are not required to provide details of their expenditure on car transport.

In the past, Mrs Bishop has displayed a preference for hire cars from Royale Limousines - which offers chauffeured car hire for the "discerning executive" - that were also classified as "taxis" on expense reports.

Fairfax Media has previously obtained under freedom-of-information laws details of Mrs Bishop's transport on about 17 days between 2011 and 2012. On 11 of those, Mrs Bishop hired a car from Royale Limousines for amounts of up to $700 a day, also listed as "taxis"."

"The rules governing MP expenses say taxpayers can be charged for car travel for official parliamentary or party business or "official business as a minister"."

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/bronwyn-bishop-expense-scandal-speaker-defends-trips-to-the-opera-20150722-gihrxv.html#ixzz3gapi86yN

Here, gain some perspective,

http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/433209411782/struggle-street