The dust has settled on the latest round of politicians undermining their own professional reputations. Seats have been vacated and now filled in the fallout of another expenses scandal in the post age-of-entitlement. Greg Hunt has replaced Sussan Ley in Health and Arthur Sinodinos, himself the victim of some dubious transparency in the past, will take over Mr Hunt's old job.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But there is a much bigger task before the government beyond shuffling seats. The fury felt by the public was palpable and will leave a bitter impression for some time. Worse that during this expenses scandal the government has ruthlessly sought to claw back money from job seekers, the disabled and pensioners while simultaneously giving a blank check to the Department of Immigration to pursue its morally bereft expedients in offshore detention. Feeble excuses for rorting represent a new high water mark in hypocrisy and injustice, but the real victim has been a new blow to public trust.
Like the disgraceful indifference of Bronwyn Bishop before her with taxpayer funded helicopter flights, it was the reaction that rankled far more than the expense itself. Ms Ley claimed initially to have done nothing wrong. It was clearly an error to describe an investigation into the possible serious misuse of taxpayer dollars as “a distraction”. As a leading minister in a governing party that continues to tell the rest of us that the age of entitlement is over, this insouciance had more than a touch of Marie Antoinette’s unreality. It was just the beginning of a string of revelations that would emerge; family holidays, flights and tickets to AFL grand finals, trips to the polo – all on the taxpayer.
In the wake of this, reforms announced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for a new independent authority to monitor the work expenses of federal politicians are to be applauded. Many believe it doesn’t go far enough and a full anti-corruption body like ICAC is needed.
"Australians are entitled to expect that politicians spend taxpayers' money carefully, ensuring at all times that their work expenditure represents an efficient, effective and ethical use of public resources. We owe the people of Australia the greatest transparency and the greatest accountability. We have to go that extra mile to demonstrate that our ... expenses are appropriate," he said last week.
This at least is a true reflection of the public sentiment. Delivering on it and rebuilding trust are another matter.