EDITORIAL: Entitlement culture thrives among Canberra elite

Anika Wells appears steadfastly determined to dig in and ride out the furore over her liberal use of taxpayer-funded travel entitlements.

And why shouldn’t she?

Her boss is in no place to criticise her, given Anthony Albanese himself racked up a $28,229 bill for “family reunion” travel last financial year. The Prime Minister won’t issue his Communications Minister a rebuke and risk opening himself up to charges of hypocrisy.

Plus, plenty of other MPs before her have managed to skate through similar “scandals”, common as they are in Australian politics.

So Ms Wells has followed the well-trod route of refusing to admit fault, and referring herself to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority, knowing it will find her expense claims — no matter how ludicrously out of touch they make her look to Australians — were entirely within the rules.

But whether or not it is “within the rules” to spend $1200 of taxpayer money to keep a Comcar driver waiting close to 10 hours for her as she attended the 2022 NRL grand final is beside the point.

The point is that spending that money in such an idiotic, frivolous way — simply to spare Ms Wells the indignity of an Uber ride — is an insult to the Australian taxpayers who are left to pick up the bill.

All of us are vulnerable to the phenomenon of lifestyle creep. We get a pay rise, and things which were once luxuries can become necessities.

Politicians suffer from the similar, but more insidious affliction of entitlement creep.

Exist within the privileged environment of Canberra’s political elite for long enough, and that which looks to a reasonable person as outrageous excess — spending $100,000 on a trip to New York, or thousands flying one’s husband across the country to watch the AFL grand final — can be easily justified.

Ms Wells is not the only culprit. Federal politicians spent a collective $1.1 million flying family members around the country last financial year.

Done properly, being a politician is a gruelling job which takes an enormous toll on family life and relationships. For ministers such as Ms Wells, who is undoubtedly hard-working, that toll is even greater.

Few Australians will begrudge them the opportunity to include their children and spouses in their working lives, which is what the family reunion travel entitlements are supposed to do.

And most Australians are understanding that it’s not reasonable to expect a minister to snap up discount Jetstar fares when they’re travelling on parliamentary business.

But the problem with the system is that it relies on MPs to employ some common sense and moral awareness, both of which are gradually eroded by Canberra’s corrosive atmosphere of largesse.

Meanwhile, Australians are being told they’ll have to brace for more financial pain for the good of the country, with interest rates likely to increase next year as the RBA tries to put the lid back on inflation. Households will have no choice but to do their bit. If only our politicians could do the same.

Responsibility for the editorial comment is taken by Editor-in-Chief Christopher Dore.