Hinterland Grapevine - The Costly side of unnecessary By-elections:

Well, here we go again - midway through a parliamentary term and another round of by-elections.   Not one but two state and most likely a Brisbane City Council election.

If a business enters into a contract to do a certain job there are normally conditions that have to be met.

Surely, when a person stands for parliament there is a perception that if elected that person will stay for the length of the period of parliament that that election referred.

A new contract is entered into each time a new election is held thus the perception is renewed with each election.

It would be interesting to know the REAL cost of elections to the community.   When figures are released they relate only to the direct cost but there are many other costs.   Many of them are passed onto businesses.   Election days become public holidays and thus anyone having to work on those days gets extra penalties.

There are also other indirect costs such as costs of stationery, office refurbishments and changes of staff.

There are the direct costs such as payment for electoral booth workers, the per vote payment to the political parties, the extra labour to prepare the electoral rolls.

You and I pay ALL OF THESE COSTS.   If you own a business you pay twice if you employ workers on Election Day.

There will always be politicians who may have to stand down for a limited number of reasons beyond their control, such as illness.   In those instances understanding and compassion is necessary.   Where such dire circumstances do not exist surely the public can reasonably expect that a person elected to a certain position would continue for the length of that election.

Surely elected representatives do not complete the full period have not carried out the contract to that that they committed.

In this case surely they should be penalised to the same extent as a business that does not carry out all its responsibilities set out in a contracted task.

Politicians who retire, stand down or otherwise do not carry out their duties for the full period of the parliamentary term should have to pay for the resulting election.

If politicians were made accountable for their decisions and actions we might then get better service from our elected representatives.

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Last Updated ( Saturday, 02 January 2010 )

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