The destruction of Bronwyn Bishop’s career stands as a stain of shame on this parliament. The entire affair exposes the greed, cowardice, and hypocrisy of the current crop of politicians on all sides.

Ms Bishop’s sins were headline-grabbing but ultimately unremarkable, on whichever score you choose to judge her. Certainly, the expense ($5,000) of her controversial helicopter ride pales into insignificance against the sheer scale of self-indulgence her peers and colleagues have enjoyed over the years; not least her chief accuser, the hypocritical leader of opposition business in the House, Tony Burke.