Rolling back printing allowances rorts

Brakes are to be put on the waste and abuse of public money occurring through Parliamentarian's printing allowances:

A damning report on the federal MPs' printing entitlements scheme found they have been using taxpayers' funds to drum up votes for themselves.
MPs 'rorting allowances' for votes ABC 8 September 2009

I've posted before about our local MHR: Andrew Robb's Wanton Waste and Andrew Robb wasting valuable space

My previous MHR Barry Haase, the member for Kalgoorlie, was a serial offender whose electioneering revolved around glossy taxpayer funded self promotions.

You can't please everybody:

LABOR MPs have vented their anger at the Federal Government's move to crack down on politicians' printing allowances, arguing it will fan public perceptions of rorting and make it harder to hold marginal seats.

... In his report, Auditor-General Ian McPhee found widespread problems, with 74 per cent of sampled material ''at risk'' of breaking the rules.

He found that parties had printed bulk runs of partisan leaflets - such as ''Labor can't manage money'' and ''John Howard has lost touch with working families'' - and then had the printers bill the Government under MPs' names.

The allowances were used to pay not only for how-to-vote cards but also for partisan flyers.
Printing overhaul upsets Labor MPs The Age 8 September 2009

There is still a long way to go to clean up the misuse of public funds for political purposes but at least this is a start.

Andrew Bartlett has more at:
Major, welcome changes to Parliamentarian’s printing allowances

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