The same minister who has been telling us we can’t continue spending money as we have been so deeply in debt.

Wonder why people do not trust politicians?

Surely on his current income he could afford it out of his own pocket?

THIS is an open letter to the federal parliament.

I was quite alarmed to hear Steve Ciobo declare on ABC TV last week that he believed Australians expected him to use taxpayers’ money to go to sporting events that big business had bought him tickets to attend.

I have since talked to many friends and acquaintances of all political persuasions and found out that we don’t expect any of you to travel to sporting events at our expense.

In fact, we believe it is ethically wrong and immoral, even though rules and regulations passed by yourselves may deem it legitimate.

We also don’t agree that living away from home allowances when parliament is sitting should be used to assist pay the mortgage of homes of partners/spouses in Canberra.

We don’t agree Joe Hockey and other politicians who retire early should get their full pension immediately while the rest of us wait until we are 65 at the earliest.

We cannot work out why they keep their full pension even though they have other well-paying positions.

We cannot see why their pension should not be reduced at the same rate as the pension of every pensioner is who is working full or part time.  

In fact, we believe it is ethically wrong and immoral, even though rules and regulations passed by yourselves may deem it legitimate.

We don’t agree our taxes should be used by any of you to go to New Year’s Eve celebrations on the Gold Coast or at Kirribilli House, or anywhere else for that matter.

We don’t agree the $8 billion spent so far incarcerating innocent men, women and children under horrific conditions where many experience physical, sexual and psychological abuse and severe depression on Manus Island and Nauru is an economical way to stop the boat people trade and terrorism.

The fact that these people have been kept under conditions, condemned by UNHCR, Amnesty International and many other respected and renowned human rights agencies, for more than three years, is disgraceful.

We cannot work out how you justify a system which reduces the aged pension of 300,000-plus people who believed they were doing the right thing by saving for their retirement and still start chasing up presumed over-payments of benefits, many three years after the presumed event, all worked out by a computer program which its very developer believes is far from perfect.

What makes it all more mystifying to us is that at the same time big business does not pay any tax or, if it does, is in line for a tax cut.

Yes, the country’s spending needs reining in, but not at the expense of those who have worked hard and paid their taxes for 45-plus years or who, for one reason or another, needed a hand from the rest of us and are now presumed guilty of rorting the system, even while trying to prove the opposite.

Honourable members, if genuine, effective steps are not taken to redress these and similar issues, we fear the scepticism, cynicism and dissatisfaction of the Australian voters will deliver our own Donald Trump at the next election.