Last year, the ABC’s most contentious program was the catalyst for a bout of pretty hectic class warfare. The Duncan Storrar debacle – where a low-income earner dared to ask (then) Assistant Treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer why high income earners were receiving a tax break – spiralled into a weeks-long ordeal.
Of course, in the end, nobody fucking won. Well, we’re three shows into Q&A’s 2017 run, and we might already have another one of those moments.
Straight off the bat, a questioner asked Attorney-General George Brandis why exactly she was the subject of a review into her meagre disability pension, when pollies like Brandis are still able to claim a thoroughly enormous number of entitlements.
His response zeroed in on the now-nixed Gold Pass entitlement, which allowed retired pollies to travel in Business Class on the taxpayer’s dollar. She hit back, pointing out how little that entitlement was compared to politicians’ other expenses and superannuation.
Oh, she also said her three kids will produce more value for Australia than any politician. Fiery stuff, sure, but totally understandable from a person in her incredibly precarious position. It’s heated viewing, and it’s important to watch Brandis’ rationalisations, but it does echo that avalanche-causing $6,000 toaster comment from last year.
Watch it below, and hope it doesn’t devolve further from here:
Why are politicians’ expenses extravagant & I’m having my Disability Support Pension reviewed? Brandis responds #QandA pic.twitter.com/NJ2sIKyjH4
— ABC Q&A (@QandA) February 20, 2017
Source and photo: Q&A / ABC / Twitter.
