A Coalition senator has accused his own government of caving to "populist pressure" with its crackdown on parliamentary perks and blames "shock jocks and dishonest journalists" for stoking unfair criticism of politicians.
Ian Macdonald is railing against Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's plan to scrap the Life Gold Pass - a notorious post-Parliament entitlement that gives long-serving former MPs free business-class travel on the taxpayer.
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One politician's crusade for free travel
Veteran Liberal Senator Ian Macdonald is pushing to keep the Life Gold Pass that gives former parliamentarians taxpayer-funded business class travel for life.
Senator Macdonald has been inundated with hate mail since he took a public stand on the issue last week but he's not backing down, saying politicians work such long hours they effectively get paid "less than $50 an hour".
Senator Macdonald would be eligible for a Life Gold Pass when he retires but says his stand has nothing to do with his own perks. Rather he's looking out for the "elderly retired politicians" who don't have a voice in the debate.
"I'll probably be carried out of here in a pine box," he told the Senate on Thursday. And if he does eventually retire he has no intention of getting on a plane again.
He says the government's legislation - which he is seeking to amend to take out all retrospective elements - is all about appeasing the "lying commentariat" and populist hysteria.
"The shock jocks and the lazy journalists and sub-editors churn out the populist line because it's easy to do so, it always gets an energetic response from a small section of the community," he said.
The backbencher - who earns $200,000 a year - wants to know where the entitlements witchhunt will end.
"It won't be long before trips by ministers to Europe and America are called into question," he said, suggesting they may have to start travelling economy class.
Then people might come after their Comcar limos: "Populism will decree that they should go too and politicians should take a bus or a taxi without any thought for security.
"And instead of the big flash offices in the electorate perhaps politicians should just meet constituents in the privacy of the own home?
"And if we're to follow the populist approach, why bother with those hated, money-grabbing, self-serving politicians at all?
"Perhaps Hitler, Stalin and Idi Amin had the right idea - don't bother about a Parliament and you don't have to bother about those pesky parliamentarians at all."
The Life Gold Pass once offered former MPs unlimited travel at taxpayers' expense. Changes in 2002 limited that to 25 return flights a year and further changes in 2012 limited it to 10 return flights.
The Gillard government scrapped it for any MPs elected after 2012.
Under Mr Turnbull's plan, it will now be fully abolished for all but former prime ministers and their spouses. Mr Turnbull says he will not use it.
Senator Macdonald says if the pass is scrapped, former prime minister's should lose it as well. They are currently exempt from the changes.
"I can't fathom the logic behind allowing Julia Gillard - perhaps Australia's worst PM for a three-year term - to have a Gold Pass for the rest of her life while someone like Peter Costello - who did magnificent work for 13 years - is banned."
Debate on the bill continues.
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