The current expenses scandal is a great case study on how things can so easily go pear shaped in government.

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We've heard a lot from parliamentarians about independent people making the rules.

They key messages are "we, the pollies, don't make these rules" "they're made by independent people."

The inference being that they must therefore be fair and reasonable. Both of these responses are really just rubbish.

Our apparent affection for setting up committees or boards that are "independent" is one of the things that remains inexplicable to me. It is a ridiculous mistake on many occasions.

Independent of what? The Parliament you elect. Weird that we want people who are answerable to no one telling the Parliament we elect what it ought to do.

In a way, it also allows our parliamentarians and especially governments to avoid taking responsibility.

Independent means answerable to no one. The board and chief executive of a statutory authority or advisory body do not answer to the public.

They don't need to give a damn what we the people think. Having been appointed, many take it as confirmation of their wisdom and behave accordingly.

If Parliament, doesn't agree with their recommendations they might leak their advice to try and pressure the government into doing what they recommended (a common public service tactic).

The government who is answerable to us is far more likely than these independents and indeed public servants to know what you and I are prepared to accept. Why? Because we hire and fire them.

These independents don't suffer the fate of being fired. They're anonymous. They might, might care, but they never have to take responsibility.

We've all heard people saying "it was within the rules" or "we don't make the rules". But the truth is in the end the government does.

Independent advisers and public servants keep their jobs in any event. Their advice may be poor, ill informed, biased or whatever. The bottom line is if on implementation it hits the proverbial fan, none of these guys rush to the media and fess up.

Are you surprised that the words "it was us or me" are not words that come rolling off their........

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