For the memory-challenged Twitterati and partisan soldiers of the organised Left,

<Had the Labor governments of Rudd or Gillard (+treacherous Greens sidekicks) ever done the right thing on receipt of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report into politicians' entitlements the federal Parliament would not have suffered the loss of credibility and trust that is now apparent.

They could have claimed to have done something positive for the taxpayer too.

What prevented the Rudd and Gillard governments from considering the ANAO report? What about the 'fact-checking' ABC that never confronted Labor and their Greens sidekicks with the ANAO report into the administration of Parliamentarians' Entitlements?

The ANAO report was tabled in the House of Representatives and Senate, 8 September 2009.

Bill Shorten and some of his senior colleagues, including some past and present who are alleged abuses of the entitlements, served in the Rudd and Gillard governments.>

Fox,

Your partisan attitude has been well and truly exposed. You are blaming both major parties when only Labor and their Greens sidekicks were responsible.

Then when that doesn't work, you have the sudden urgent need along with another to discuss movies. Anything but admit the obvious, which was the very sorry and essential contribution by Labor governments of Rudd and Gillard+Greens to the mess.

Responsible because the government's own auditor (the ANAO) and the administering department drew the attention of the Labor Kevin Rudd aka Kevin707 government to the open door where politicians' entitlements were concerned, but the Labor and Greens sidekicks governments of Rudd and Gillard did nothing to rectify the situation. In fact they turned a blind eye to the relevant ANAO report they were given while in office and for years. Guess why!

Shamefully, NO Labor politicians who are responsible for the mess nor the ones similarly taking advantage of that open gate are resigning. So much for any principle, ethics or accountability from the Left, the self-styled 'Progressives' aka the self-titled "Wolves in Sheep's Clothing".

Beach, you demonstrate the ridiculousness of the raving right. Now you are putting up Mr. Abbott as Mr. Frugality. As Poirot has correctly pointed out "Abbott is a prime rorter" the evidence is there for all to see.
You are also in a tail spin trying to blame Labor and The Greens for such Liberal pomposity as the Bronnie Bishop 'Copter Caper'! For a person who came to this forum claiming to be one from the middle ground of moderatecy, your partisan attitude has been well and truly exposed.

Shadow, as for Bronnie Bishops achievements "blazed the trail for women in parliament" more like set women back 20 years with her 1950's attitudes. As a minister, because of her ineptitude elderly people suffered through the 'kerosene scandal' Howard was forced to drop kick her from the ministry. As Speaker a total failure. Even the toffee-nosed conservatives of Mackellar don't want her back. All Bronwyn Bishop will be remembered for is her high handiness of ripping off the taxpayer.

SM,

Before you go mouthing off anymore about Tony Burke, you might like to read this apology from news.com to him.

"Apology to Tony Burke MP & Skye Laris"

"AN article published on Friday, 7 August 2015 on news.com.au titled ‘Tony Burke’s euro trip with staffer who became partner cost taxpayers $48,000’ alleged that Tony Burke MP misused his ministerial office to grant travel privileges to former staffer Skye Laris.

News.com.au acknowledges that any such allegation is false and apologises to Mr Burke and Ms Laris for the hurt and embarrassment caused by the article."

http://www.news.com.au/national/apology-to-tony-burke-mp-skye-laris/story-fncynjr2-1227476830634

SM, with your supposedly learned legal mind, you would realise they didn't take that step without a bit of prompting.

Paul1405,

It on the public record, the Parliamentary Hansard. It is an indisputable fact that Labor governments of Rudd and Gillard (+treacherous Greens sidekicks) protected a system that had not only been advised to the Parliament and the Senate by the independent ANAO and the administering department as being an open gate to rorting, but there were examples of rorting were before them and topical, being discussed in the Parliament and media.

However nothing was done, which leaves the inescapable conclusion that the wide open door was convenient to Labor and their treacherous sidekicks, the Greens. However Greens Leader Bob Brown and the Greens senators who were polishing the Senate seats were always up for endless motions on gay issues. Coincidentally Bob Brown and other Greens directly benefited out of that, and they preserved that other interest, the wide open door to politicians' entitlements.

Had the Labor governments of Rudd or Gillard (+treacherous Greens sidekicks) ever done the right thing on receipt of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report into politicians' entitlements the federal Parliament would not have suffered the loss of credibility and trust that is now apparent.

They could have claimed to have done something positive for the taxpayer too, instead of being obsessed with gay marriage.

What prevented the Rudd and Gillard governments from considering the ANAO report? What about the 'fact-checking' ABC that never confronted Labor and their Greens sidekicks with the ANAO report into the administration of Parliamentarians' Entitlements?

The ANAO report was tabled in the House of Representatives and Senate, 8 September 2009.

It is also a fact that only Tony Abbott has taken the initiative to do anything about reviewing the politicians' entitlements. Labor could have and so could have the Greens, but both are obsessed with gay marriage and preserving that 'Open Door' to politicians' entitlements. Why so? -As if that guess is difficult.

otb,

Who I discuss things with, and about what, and how I respond to
discussions - and what I think or believe -
is none of your business.

Find someone else to address on this forum.
Someone who respects your opinion,
who cares what you think, and reads your entire posts.

I'm not that person.

otb,

The puzzling thing - since you espouse that "it's all Labor and Green's fault" is why it's Coalition members who stretch the technical bounds of expenses to the most fulsome extent?

Why is that do you think?

You'd think that it would be common decency not to take the taxpayer to the cleaners even though it's possible to do so. If the Coalition are so without blame for the system - as you keep telling us - then why are they front and centre in the snouting game?

Dutton's in the spotlight now.