Three examples of why people despair of Australian politics

The governing Australian Labor Party has one fewer seats than the Liberal/National Coalition (71-72) - but hold power by a slender majority thanks to a handful of cross-bench independent MPs and the appointment of an opposition MP as Speaker. Despite the sheer incompetence of the current government, the Liberal Party leadership most closely resemble the US Tea Party Republican movement, so the choice is between a rock and a hard place.


Three examples of why most people in this country despair of federal politics:


1. Labor MP and former head of the Health Services Union is accused of charging over $100 000 in expenses to his HSU credit card for...... prostitutes. After four years of an 'independent' investigation, he has finally been suspended from the Labor Party (the day before the police raided the HSU offices in Sydney); though he will stil vote with the government.


2. The Speaker of the Parliament (an opposition MP who was going to be deselected by his party, largely for being incompetent and corrupt and who was recently appointed Speaker by the government in order to keep their slim majority) is currently being investigated for misuse of cab charges and is facing a civil suit for sexual harassment (from a male employee). He has suspended himself.


3. This remarkable interview with a front-bench MP (Minister for Employment & Workplace Relations), which is also why you don't need to satirise Australian politics:

Further reading....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-03/green-politics-vs-policy/3985472

(Interesting opinion piece on the policy/politics divide and the role of the media)