Should politicians be sacked once they reach a certain age?

This was the premise of a column that appeared in News Ltd newspapers last weekend by Peter Van Onselen. In particular, he was referring to Bronwyn Bishop who, he said “has been an effective shadow minister, even promoted by Abbott post the election. But Bishop is approaching 70 and holds a safe seat in a region loaded with talented people”.

Political commentator Dee Madigan disagrees with this. In fact she was so riled by the idea of people being put out to pasture, she wrote this for us…..

In defence of Bronwyn Bishop. Now there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write.  But on behalf of those ‘on the wrong side of 40’ I feel compelled.

On Sunday, Peter Van Onselen wrote an article for the Herald-Sun titled ‘Who should be promoted and sacked’. And he put Bronnie in the latter camp.

Now Van Onselen is not the first journo to suggest Bronwyn might be better off out of politics (or that politics might be better off without Bronwyn) but usually those journalists calling for her head (with its rather magnificent beehive ‘do) are from the ‘other camp’. But Van Onselen is traditionally supportive of the Liberal Party. And what makes it worse it that he admits it was a reluctance choice. “This is the hardest person to include in this list.’”He then goes on to praise her “She has been an effective shadow minister, even promoted by Abbott post election.”

So the reason he thinks she should be sacked? “Bishop is approaching 70 and holds a safe seat in a region loaded with talented people.”

Now I am not a big Bronwyn fan. I thought her support of tobacco advertising when shadow health minister was beyond appalling and her handling of the kerosene baths affairs was also pretty woeful. (Frankly she’s lucky she has any old people left to represent). And I disagree entirely with her position on the republic debate.

In fact, she stands for pretty much everything I don’t. But that’s not the point. I have no doubt, from conversations with older Australians, that her views are shared by many, many people her own age. And they have a right to have their views heard. You only need to watch TV or the movies to see that if you are over 50, or god forbid over 60, you don’t have much a voice in the media. That’s why it is so important that they have a voice in parliament.

And it’s not like her age is impeding her ability. I agree with Van Onselen. She has been one of the more effective parliamentary performers in the shadow cabinet.

We applauded Wyatt Roy as the youngest MP, why should we not be equally supportive about the eldest. We have an aging population- 13.6 % of Australians are 65 and over, and this is increasing. And most of those over 70 are women. (My husband reckons men die sooner because they want to).

Surely they have the right to representation from someone who has been alive at least as long as they have.

Yes parties need to renew, but parties also need to represent their constituents.

So, by all means attack her policies or her performance but her age should be off limits.

 

 

You can read Peter Van Onselen’s original article in the Herald Sun here.
[poll id=”67″]

Do you think a politician’s age should be off limits?