Why do we need a Senate? What other organisation has two management boards – one to determine policy and another to obstruct it? The upper house of the British parliament (the House of Lords) wasn’t created to provide superior legislation, it was created to protect the aristocracy from the hoi polloi.

The governments of Queensland and New Zealand have both abolished their upper houses with no damage to administration. In Australia, we have 75 Senate members – each drawing a weekly minimum salary of $5000 and providing only nuisance value to government.

Then we have the same over-priced membership of the lower house which consists of 150 members. About half of these (the opposition) simply obstruct the government and the only obligatory function of two thirds of the remainder is to put their hands up when they are told.

Now that thousands are out of work due to the Corona virus and many are on the streets, we cannot afford the $50 million annual cost of the present 200 redundant MPs as well as the profligate perks and pensions they have voted for themselves.

Surely now is the time for a cleanout.