Recent outcry from independents after Albanese government cuts to staffing levels tells us a lot

They chose to put a spotlight on their entitled self-indulgent attitude which was not particularly edifying.

Unwisely there were threats about not supporting legislation ... on the basis of their entitlements, not on the basis of policy merit.

Out the window goes their commitment to much other than their own entitlement.

The threat to Labor: "we might stand against you in your seats" is so profoundly childish and stupid both in its substance and what it tells us about them as thinkers, or not. Schoolyard bullying and name calling.

Some of course are wiser than others and have kept a lower profile.

Why on earth would they be entitled to four senior people that other members of parliament do not have?

Apparently ScoMo had given them these extra staff. It was a big mistake.

Why should your member of parliament get less assistance than the MP in a neighbouring seat?

Each seat should be represented equally.

Extra responsibilities require extra staff. That's why ministers and to a much lesser extent shadow ministers get extra help. They have extra responsibilities. Not so the independents.

Oppositions are meant to hold the government to task ... why would independent members each get more staff than shadow ministers?

Let's not pretend that the independents are going to individually look in detail at every bit of legislation that comes to Parliament.

Last year the Special Recreational Vessels Amendment Bill 2021 was passed along with the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill. I'm not convinced the electors in Kooyong or Warringa are exactly anguished about either bill.

An enormous amount of legislation goes through with the support of both major parties.

Independents might choose to go into detail and seek amendments to some of these bills but my guess is they will not. Forgive my cynical view but I think they'll focus on things that will guarantee some limelight. It's only three years before they seek re-election. They'll need to get publicity for their work well before then. It's just how it works.

They bleat that they don't have the benefit of being in a major party.

It's a ridiculous claim for several reasons.

First, they prided themselves on not being in a major party, on being independent.

Second they're trotting out the complete fabrication that major party administrations provide a lot of policy assistance to individual members.

Not in my time and not now.

People in the major parties are joined by a commitment to a common philosophical framework.

Within that there are disagreements and plenty of them. Some because various individuals are more to the left or right edge of the broad philosophical framework, others because electorates have differing views.

Take Western Australians and ask about a gold tax and you might get a very different answer from that than you would get from Tasmanians. Within the Western Australians, on that issue, people who otherwise don't care for each other's company might be bosom buddies for a few days.

The idea that the major parties are chocoblock faceless people who just do what they're told is a joke. Backbenchers in the major parties have to do their own legwork ... and they do. They use the materials from the library and their community contacts to suss out issues on particular bills. With so many colleagues they might find one of their own is a specialist in one area or another ... or they may not. They might think that colleague is a dope and not want to trust their opinion anyway.

Is it really news to the independents that all the members of each of the major parties are not bosom buddies? The independents are not shadow ministers to the national stage. They are MPs like any other.

That the work load is high for any member of parliament doing their job is not in question. Independents, like all other MPs, have to triage their priorities. Boo hoo.

The system provides tremendous assistance to those willing to use it.

MORE VANSTONE:

The parliamentary library is one of the greatest luxuries made available to all members of parliament.

In fact, one of the things you miss as a minister is the time to use its tremendous capacity. They have specialist researchers in particular policy areas who have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Very well written material is available on each bill.

Then there are the Clerks of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

They serve the Parliament and are a storehouse, yet again of knowledge and experience.

Think of these services as driving a Ferrari one day and a Bentley the next.

In the lower house the independents do not, thankfully, hold the balance of power. No doubt this is a great disappointment. They may have seen themselves as being national spokespeople on everything.

Instead they should be looking to the issues that the people in their electorates are concerned about.

After all they told them they'd represent their interests and views. Their electorates have called them to duty, the national stage has not.

They should just get on with the job at hand. Everyone else does.