Once upon a time Bronwyn Bishop was appointed Speaker of the House of Representatives and given a taxpayer-funded salary of $341,477. During that time she ignored the long standing convention of a bipartisan Speaker by continuing to attend government meetings and party fundraisers.

In addition to her salary, between July 2013 and June 2016, Bishop claimed $1,900,201.65 in expenses. In 2014 alone she claimed over $800,000. In the second half of that year Bishop spent $130,889.80 on travel expenses. These included $42,805.51 on an 11-day trip to South East Asia in September 2014, $88,084 on a 15-day official visit to Europe while she was running for the presidency of the Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union in October, and $5,227.27 for a charted helicopter flight to a Liberal Party fundraiser from Melbourne to Geelong (a 90 minute drive) in November.

Following an announcement that the Department of Finance would be investigating Bishop’s expense claims over the previous 16 years, Bishop resigned as Speaker in August 2015.

Bishop now works for Sky News as a political commentator. This week in response to Tony Abbott’s claim that governments have been far too ready to put people with bad backs and ‘a bit of depression’ on the disability support pension, Bishop said:

‘There are a large number of people who were rorting it and there are a large number of people who are drug addicts and they think they meet the criteria.”

According to Beyond Blue, Black Dog Institute and the Australian Government:

45 per cent of Australian will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime;

Around 1 million Australian adults currently have depression, and over 2 million have anxiety;

One in 16 Australians aged 16 to 24 is currently experiencing depression;

One in six young Australians is currently experiencing an anxiety condition;

One in four young Australians currently has a mental health condition;

Suicide is the biggest killer of Australians aged 16 to 24 accounting for 10.5 per cent of deaths, more than car accidents (6.4 per cent);

Every day, at least six Australians die from suicide and a further thirty people will attempt to take their own life;

Australians are more likely to die by suicide than skin cancer;

This year the Department of Health announced it would strip over $140 million in funding from the Early Psychosis Youth Services (EPYS) program;

Since 2013 the Federal Government has cut nearly $1 billion in funding for community services.

The Disability Support Pension is $797.90 per fortnight.

Bronwyn Bishop receives a taxpayer-funded pension of $255,000 plus 10 free domestic return flights a year.

And she lived happily ever after.

If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression contact beyondblue on 1300224636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.

A depressing story about rorting