High-level green flag for ministerial gravy-train mentality

Anthony Albanese doesn’t appear to believe in transparency, despite promising full transparency (“A pox on pollies riding taxpayer-funded gravy train”, 9/12).

He doesn’t appear to believe in accountability, hence his protection of the “mean girls” Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher. He doesn’t seem to believe in restricting spending, hence our growing national debt and higher inflation.

He doesn’t seem to believe his ministers should suffer any restrictions on their lifestyle, resulting in wanton travel spending by minister Anika Wells and many other ministers, while many Australians live in their cars and their kids suffer. How disgraceful is that, and all on borrowed money.

So, when it comes to looking after Australians at a time of great need, it seems Albanese doesn’t believe in anything that will help them but he is doing a fine job in looking after himself and his ministers. No cost-of-living problems for them.

Brian Barker, Bulimba, Qld

Could Sport Minister Anika Wells arrange to get me two tickets to day one of the Boxing Day Test? I have paid for our airfares from Perth on Christmas Day but my friend in Melbourne didn’t get the tickets to the game. The government would have no airfare or accommodation expenses. A real saving to taxpayers.

Claire Brittain, Claremont, WA

If asked to select a politician who offers a poor explanation for their actions, it would be very difficult to choose. There’s a different one in the spotlight every week for all the wrong reasons.

This week Anika Wells has been doing a pathetic job of explaining her actions, and the rest of them are thrilled that she has grabbed all the attention. But there’s another one flying well below the radar. Tanya Plibersek went to extraordinary lengths as environment minister to prevent the development of the Blayney goldmine project. Now there has been a 30-year suppression order granted to bury key evidence from this decision to block the project. Extraordinary.

Lynne McCullough, Bundaberg, Qld

The unfolding Anika Wells travel expense saga is being treated by the Albanese government in its usual way. Everything is being done by the rules: nothing to see here as we are being totally transparent. Anti-Semitism in Australia, nothing to see here. Electricity costs climbing, “we are following scientific advice and there’s nothing to see there”.

Defence spending too low and procurement too slow, “we’ll make our own decisions and there is nothing to see there”.

Inflation, nothing to worry about. Spending spree by government, nothing to see there either.

Michael Neustein, Bondi Junction, NSW

The furore over Anika Wells’s travel arrangements sadly surprises few of us. While travel for government or political duties is understandable, most of us are heartily sickened by the “family reunion” travel entitlement.

Who else in the community gets this nice little perk? Many – for example, fly-in, fly-out workers and long-haul truckies – spend substantial time away from their families but do not get this perk.

One cannot help but notice that the opposition has been fairly reserved in its criticism because it knows it has plenty of skeletons to hide. If the family travel perk is to remain, it should be limited to a few trips a year and be only economy class.

If the politician wants business class for the family, they can pay the extra cost.

Ross Hudson, Mount Martha, Vic

The federal Labor Party justifies its travel junket excesses by saying the travel was within the rules.

Surely within the rules there also must be mention of value for money and/or judicious use of taxpayers’ funds? This must have been on page two of the document, which makes sense now given the Labor Party’s weakness when it comes to documents longer than one page.

Darrell Stratton, North Coogee, WA

The Anika Wells travel issue is familiar not for its details but its pattern: rules said to be followed, optics waved away and public trust fraying yet again.

Like the farmhouse window in Animal Farm, Australians watch privileges consolidate and wonder what service remains.

Andrew Connolly, Suffolk Park, NSW