Political resignation

[Airspeed]

Probably didn't make the news in UK or USA, but thr Speaker of the House, Bronwyn Bishop has resigned over discovery of more air travel beyond what she owned up to, apologised for, and repaid.
Anyone familiar with "Master of the House" from Les Mis, can apply that tune to this offering;

Speaker of the House
House of Parliament
Earning lots of money
But it's all been spent

Weddings of her friends
Catch up with a mate
Has to go by aeroplane
She just can't wait

High above the law
Flying through the sky
Bugger the expense
It's all paid for by you and I

Federal Police
Taking up the case
Finding out the facts
Now she's lost face

She apologised, repaid some
Plenty more, the cops found out
What's that in the trough
It's a politicians' snout

Resigned her cushy job
Poor hard working 'gel'
Nice fat pension
Voters, you can go to hell

[Tomliner]

Hi Mike, there's a simple answer to this sort of practice.If it can be proved that there was a deliberate attempt at fraud then send them to prison in the same way that any other citizen would be treated. The problem is that they claim to have made 'mistakes' and think that makes it ok.Mistakes which always seem to be in their favour!
During the expenses scandal in Westminster a few years ago,one MP in trying to justify why he hadn't been paying his council tax said the reason was that he didn't understand it! Well excuse me but I don't understand it either but I do understand that it has to be paid.I would like to use a string of expletives at this point but I don't want to receive a b******ing from Ben! EricT

[Vancouver]

We are also going through a similar scandal with some of our illustrious politicians and their expenses claims. Politician is a dirty word as far as I am concerned. Surely they should be held to a higher standard than the rest of us proles. But they would never vote for that.

[Airspeed]

Glad to see your responses, Gentlemen.
Despite my levity, this resignation is, sadly, yet another negative, destructive element of politics, regardless of which party is involved.
We have now temporarily at least, lost the services of an experienced operator.
If government ran more like private enterprise, with staff trying to achieve something by co-operation, instead of spending half their day ridiculing and blocking initiatives, we'd get some progress. (OK some private enterprise IS like that! )
Totally agree, if there's deliberate theft involved, pay the price, jail if necessary. According to our ABC (=UK BBC), senior govt. employees earning over $700,000 pa, authorise their own travel expenditure.
Who in their right mind would establish such a system? I think that the Roman Empire realised that absolute power corrupts absolutely. But note that I failed O level history, so maybe it was later on.

btw, I was told last night that some British Lord was filmed snorting cocaine with some paid lady friends. How come he's not in jail awaiting formal charges?

[DaveB]

Funny you mention that chap. I was listening to a debate on Radio2 about him at the weekend (while on a break out on the road of course!) and it seems there are quite a few members of the House of Lords that have 'done time' or have criminal records. Thing with the House of Lords is that you can't be kicked out under current legislation. Some members (law abiding ones) try to slide out of having to sit but it seems that having to sit is part and parcel of being a Lord.
The chap in question has been referred to the Police and if it's found he has broken the law, then he'll have a case to answer.
The interviewer had a member of the House of Lords on the show and she thought it right that any member with a criminal record shouldn't be allowed to sit but the current rules make that impossible. She also questioned whether snorting coke in the privacy of a hotel room (or wherever it was) was actually against the law and as far as she was aware, wearing an orange bra is not against the law The member was Jenny Tong btw

The member in question has resigned his position (I think it was something appropriate like law and standards!!) and is awaiting the outcome of the Police enquiry. Jenny Tong reckoned that all men of a certain age go through an 'odd period' and do silly things but I can confirm I'm not currently wearing an orange bra or any other sort of bra as I type this nor am I snorting coke. Perhaps I've not reached that age yet
ATB
DaveB

[Airspeed]

You don't know what you're missing, Dave

[DaveB]

Oh, I think I do

ATB
DaveB

[Jon.M]

She also questioned whether snorting coke in the privacy of a hotel room (or wherever it was) was actually against the law and as far as she was aware, wearing an orange bra is not against the law The member was Jenny Tong btw

ATB
DaveB

It's lucky that members of Britain's law making bodies are so clued up about the law. But then I read the other day that an advisor to Donald Trump, a lawyer no less, stated in a radio interview that a man can't be charged with raping his wife.

I did think that it was a bit boring cheating on travel expenses, don't Australian politicians have duck houses to buy or moats to clear at tax payers expense? Mind you I live in Italy where the politicos can get very inventive.

Jon

[Vancouver]

Re "all men of a certain age go through an 'odd period' and do silly things"
I bypassed the whole cocaine & hookers thing and went straight onto flight simming. I find it less messy, although almost as expensive.

[DaveB]

Indeed mate I seem to spend an inordinate amount of dosh on this hobby and I can freely admit (here) that if SWMBO found out.. I'd be similarly embarrassed.. enough to make an apology to the house and resign
ATB
DaveB