From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli

WHENEVER will they learn learn? Voters have scant interest in political braggadocio cultivated specifically to score cheap, political points, and creating furores of dubious worth. They are a distraction!

Victorian National Party Senator, Bridget McKenzie, who was obliged to resign as agriculture minister in 2020 after a report found her role in the “sports rorts” saga breached ministerial standards, has been on yet another of the opposition’s verbal rampages. After days of posturing, and reeling in horror, she was forced to eat crow! Her strident criticism resulted in a case of “physician heal thyself”!

Qantas flight upgrades are not a national priority. Apodictically, these are taxing times! Across the Nation, the spiralling cost-of-living is debilitating. People are straining to survive. The government has important issues which demand urgent resolution. Simply, we want to know: “Wotda ya gonna about the ‘ousing?” Homelessness in a country as rich as Australia is an indictment. It suggest a neglect of, and an indifference to, public housing by previous governments, of both persuasions; and when are supermarkets going to be brought to heel? It is a paradox: one never hears of supermarkets over-paying their staff!

To suggest any politician accepting an upgrade from Qantas is, by definition, beholden, is too simplistic; it borders on conspirative. Upgrades should be given and accepted on face value, and in good faith. Mindful of Australia’s tyranny of distance, and the inordinate amount of time politicians are required to spend travelling between their homes and Canberra, we need to be sympathetic to the physical and mental toll. Canberra/Perth is an onerous flight, at any time.

While the Minister for transport, Member for Ballarat Catherine King, has determinedly refused to provide an adequate explanation for the Qatar Airways conclusion, current attempts to conflate Qantas’ anomalies with that decision serves no meaningful purpose, irrespective of up-grades; however, it does provide cause to question the government’s protection of the airline, regardless. Qantas has, as we have learned, behaved badly. It wittingly deceived the public.

There is a propensity for creating dark shadows where there are none. Conversely, the premise of Senator McKenzie’s outrage is worthy of measured discussion; however, a vitriolic diatribe, supported by faux horror, is not the solution. There is a persistent, incorrect misconception across the spectrum that animus is the preferred response of all voters, and they, the politicians, are best qualified to articulate our fury — however innocuous the matter. Senator McKenzie’s strident defence notwithstanding, I am still to be persuaded of the even-handedness of the $36,000 government grant to the clay target club of which she was a member.

Politicians should, as a rule, be provided first and business class travel for their work. The earned frequent flyer points should be retained by the Commonwealth. Private travel is a personal expense. Politicians should not be dependent on gratuitous up-grades from any transport company employee. They occupy the highest office in the land. Their work is important and consuming. It deserves our respect. Incumbent ministers should travel first; the rest should travel business class. Absolutely, they should never be relegated to economy class.

The German poet, Bertolt Brecht, wrote: “watch closely the film clips of your leaders walking and talking, as they hold in their cruel hands the threads of you fate”. While we need to maintain a healthy political scepticism, in a vibrant, Panglossian democracy we should not be distrusting of our politicians; nor should they abuse that trust.

Roland joins Brett Macdonald 3BA each Monday 10.45AM. Contact: [email protected]