A RATHER cynical politician once told me that an honest politician was one who "stayed bought" when parliamentary support had been paid for, declaring also that with independents and single issue politicians, you merely "rented them by the day".
Perhaps that's a more detailed definition of the old claim that Australia has "the best politicians that money can buy", a neat one liner, but unfair to the majority of honest, hard-working pollies.
But the furore over the backpacker tax debate in federal parliament gives those jocular definitions a ring of truth.
After all, the final support for the bill in the Senate came when the Greens "sold" their support for $100 million, with the money to be paid to support Landcare.
Local One Nation senator Rod Culleton was critical of his party leader Pauline Hanson, when she did the unthinkable and supported the bill just because she considered it a good one.
His criticism was based partly on her unconditional support for the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) where she "rolled over like a ginger kitten".
But his real anger was directed at her early support for the 15 per cent backpacker tax, claiming that she should have insisted on his pet project, a royal commission into the banks, as the price for her support.
A "golden opportunity went begging when she failed to insist on the royal commission" he claimed, for although it would cost $60m, it "would have been cheaper" than the $100m the government was forced to pay for the Greens' support.
"Every other party leader did a deal, but what did she do?'' he demanded. "She just supported it with nothing."
Although One Nation in general and Ms Hanson in particular receive constant criticism in the media, it would appear that the One Nation leader is the only one who can emerge with her head held high.
After all, isn't voting for good legislation just because it is good what we really want from all politicians?
Early Independent Tasmanian senator Brian Harradine was an expert at "selling" his vote, with his usual price being some new goody for Tasmania, helping his home State and his re-election prospects at the same time.
The recent success of the single issue candidates has led to an increase in the need for the party in power to do deals, with Julia Gillard's infamous carbon tax being a down payment on Greens support during her prime ministership.
A royal commission into the banking sector should not be justified just because one pollie has a particular problem with the banks, or our defence purchases being sourced for political rather than economic reasons.
It would seem that the continuation of live sheep and cattle exports are dependent on what price the Greens are charging on the day, while the fate of gene technology will depend on the need for "numbers", not on the science.
Few voters actually know the candidates who are seeking their support, with most votes being cast for a party on the assumption that the endorsed candidates have the same policies as their party.
This system has worked well so far, and although improvements in the area of candidate selection are needed, electing independents is more an indicator of unease than a long-term solution.
Ms Hanson and her party may again survive to be a power after the next election, but I suspect that they will be far more careful in their candidate selection in future. Especially in WA.
