Sunday, March 26

I've been wading my way through a book which tells the story of 'the plot to destroy Australia's Speaker', how James Ashby, aided and abetted by various other shady characters, accused Peter Slipper of sexual harassment and rorting his travel allowance. It was a difficult read as it was composed mainly of transcripts of text messages to and from Ashby's mobile phone.

Having read it from cover to cover, I'm no wiser but I am certainly more cynical about the characters of the people we have elected to lead us. Peter Slipper seems to have no redeeming features. It was well-known in the Liberal Party that he had been cheating on his travel entitlements for years (his local paper, the Sunshine Coast Daily had regular exposes), but, while he toed the party line and was able to retain his seat, he continued to be endorsed.

It was only when he 'ratted on' the party and agreed to become Speaker in the Gillard government, that moves were made to destroy him. Two accusations were made: that he had mis-used his travel allowance, and he had made unwelcome sexual advances to one of his staff, James Ashby whom Barnaby Joyce described as 'just a shade less dodgy than Slipper'.

Slipper certainly enjoyed the perks of his office. One example is a Study Group he led to several countries. Airfares alone, for Slipper and his wife, were $42546,: who knows how much more was spent on accommodation and other expenses. However, he was only charged with mis-using his allowance to a total of $900. The irony is that the Leader of the Opposition, about he same time, was also charged with mis-using his allowance to the tune of $9400, but he was able to pay it back, without charge. And Geoge Brandis, who referred the Slipper case to the Federal Police, was allowed to pay back thousands he himself had claimed for attending a colleague's wedding. Serious double standard here.

The sexual harassment charge against Slipper was dropped before it went to trial. He was found guilty on the $900 charge but, on appeal, the sentence was reversed. But it was too late: he had already lost his career and his reputation.

It would be easy to say that Slipper deserved all he got, and that might be true but what about all the other crooks who regularly rort their expenses, knowing that the most that will happen is that they might have to pay it back. The occasional high-profile 'catch' like Sussan Ley or the Victorian Speaker and Deputy Speaker are just the tip of the iceberg. The system of allowances is set up on the assumption that politicians are essentially honest and honourable. Make of that what you will.