Best of all, IPSA publishes claims, so that taxpayers can see how their money is spent in support of any particular MPs' parliamentary functions.
Tony Abbott, with great fortitude can make a silk purse out of this fiasco.
On 3 August the Australian reported that former Finance Department head David Tune and Remuneration Tribunal boss John Conde will undertake a fundamental review of MP travel entitlements.
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This is insufficient.
The Tune/Conde Committee's remit must be much wider.
The snout dipping by politicians extends way beyond mere travel rorts.
While the PM has been egged on by Andrew Wilkie, Nick Xenophon and many members of the public, as well as some in his own party who sense the fetid smell of political annihilation in the air if Abbott shies from reform, Abbott intriguingly has all the cards.
By draining the bottomless trough of entitlements, reimbursements and allowances which Australian politicians have feasted upon for too long, Abbott will be able to present his party's reform to the electorate as one of establishing an independent office of parliamentary standards which will extinguish the rorts once and for all,as well as name and shame those who hitherto failed to live up to the public's expectations.
Who knows? Playing his cards smartly may see FIPSA even helping him win the next election.
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