There are many MPs & Senators that use allowances to pay off homes in Canberra. Whilst somehow they have justified this by watering down the rules to suit themselves. The recent events with Bob Day made me take a closer look at the entire s44 law. I believe the politicians that have been investing an allowance which is from government (Commonwealth) revenues. The purpose of this is to pay off the property. It also often results in a capital gain. I believe this breaches s44 (iv).
There are also many MPs with investments in our parliament. All of them have superannuation. How many of them have investments in companies that have govt contracts? Who checks this? We can investigate & report them to the AFP. I can say this with confidence. The AFP were told of Abbott possibly breaching s44.1 with supporting evidence & did virtually nothing.
I believe there are a huge number of federal politicians who know they are in breach of these laws. I think there has been a conspiracy to conceal this. The reason I have this belief is the inaction from all sides of parliament. What else could it be? Ignorance of the law is a possibility, yet not an excuse. Don't forget 60% of our politicians are lawyers so it seems unlikely they can't comprehend laws.
I think if this is audited thoroughly & independently it will get many scalps. The issue with Bob Day validates the argument that every MP & Senator should meet the same scrutiny in my opinion.
Section 44 of the Australian Constitution lists the grounds for disqualification on who may become a candidate for election to the Parliament of Australia. It states in particular:
But subsection iv. does not apply to the office of any of the Queen's Ministers of State for the Commonwealth, or of any of the Queen's Ministers of a State, or to the receipt of pay, half pay, or a pension, by any person as an officer or member of the Queen's navy or army, or to the receipt of pay as an officer or member of the naval or military forces of the Commonwealth by any person whose services are not wholly employed by the Commonwealth. (Thanks Wikipedia for the laws listed above.)