Where Would We Be Without Them?

Because much of the finest work of our politicians, state or federal, goes on day in, day out, away from the public gaze, this remarkable set of men and women is often not given the credit that is its due by an increasingly cynical and tuned-out electorate.

So, in an effort to restore the public's faith in the worth of our political representatives, I take this opportunity to post the following snapshots of Australian politicians who, even as I type, toil away, thanklessly, in the service of... Israel. 

Take the state member for Mount Lawley in Western Australia, Michael Sutherland (Liberal), for example. "As well as being patron of the Friends of Israel of Western Australia, Sutherland, who has visited the Holy Land twice, is also a co-convenor of Western Australia's Parliamentary Israel Friendship Group." (WA friends become political opponents, The Australian Jewish News, 22/2/13)

His rival in the forthcoming state election, Labor's Bob Kucera, MP for Mount Lawley from 2001 until 2008,  is no slouch at serving Israel either, having "inaugurated the Parliamentary Friends of Israel." In fact, so sold on... Israel is Bob that he confesses that it is actually "a belief in Israel that drives me on." (ibid)

In the federal sphere too our Israelites, if I may borrow the term (which I'm sure they'd wear with pride), are doing sterling work to ensure the safety and security of... Israel.

For example, Liberal backbencher Alex Hawke (surely a worthy successor of his namesake Bob) must surely have been channelling Benjamin Netanyau when he said in a parliamentary debate on 18 February: "Iran 'is perhaps the biggest security question of our age'." (Liberal, Labor debate Iran, The Australian Jewish News, 22/2/13)

In the same debate, Liberal MP for Cowan, Luke Simpkins, frothing at the very mention of the Islamic entity, "outlined [its] imprisonment of political activists, journalists and opposition leaders, and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, while raising concerns about the fairness of its electoral system ahead of a presidential poll in June." In fact, so consumed with indignation at Iranian crimes was he that he moved a motion calling for "the release of political prisoners in Iran and a further toughening of sanctions to pressure the regime into opening its nuclear facilities for inspection," explaining "they [Iran] claim to want to lead the the Islamic world and to wipe their enemies - namely, Israel - off the face of the earth." (ibid)

Jewish Israelite Josh Frydenberg, Liberal MP for Kooyong, was adamant that Australia had a job to do on Iran in the United Nations. For Israel, that is: "Australia had 'a responsibility to use our chairmanship of the United Nations sanctions committee to do more to stop Iran'." (ibid)

Not to be outdone, Labor MP for Melbourne Ports and doyen of our Jewish Israelites, Michael Danby, always hugely aroused during such debates, ejaculated that "sanctions had halved Iran's oil exports, causing a loss of $50 billion 'in hard currency' in one year." (ibid)

Enough said. So next time you hear of a pay rise for our politicians, don't roll your eyes and curse. Focus instead of the valuable work they do for... Israel and know that the country - Israel that is - is in good hands.