Not doing the job?

One of the regular columnists in our state newspaper has a long, complaining piece that our former Prime Minister is "not doing his job". He's "only spoken in parliament three times this year".

It is well known that this particular columnist also dislikes (to put it gently) the same side of politics. She has had scathing things to say before about the former Prime Minister. 

Some of them may have been justified but is this justified? It would be very difficult to be a former Prime Minister and then find yourself sitting on the back benches in parliament. Does it really mean you are not doing your job? Does it really mean you are on "gardening leave"?

For some years our local federal representative was a doctor. He was criticised strongly for also working as a doctor during that time. What many people didn't realise is that he was of course keeping up the minimum number of hours he needed in order to maintain his registration as a doctor. He knew that he might lose his seat at any election. He had married and had two young children. He was trying to do the responsible thing for everyone concerned. 

I knew this man, still know him. At the time he was concerned about the way people were viewing his double strand of work. It was very hard work but it also had a positive advantage. He was seeing patients and it gave him a wonderful opportunity to listen to people who might never otherwise have dared to even approach their "local politician".  He was taking their concerns back to the party room and back to parliament. He never said a lot there but, behind the scenes, he was doing more than many others.

I have met many politicians of all persuasions over the years. Yes, there are lazy politicians just as there are lazy people in any other work role. At the same time I have managed to learn not to equate "quiet" with lacking in influence or not doing their job. I would go so far as to say that some of the noisier politicians don't actually do the job of representing their electorate. If you are the Prime Minister you certainly won't be doing that. There is no time for that even if you are a Minister. Your electorate staff will do those things for you - if you are lucky. (In reality they will often call in muggins they know about and get advice from them about how to deal with a problem. The muggins in question may even end up dictating a letter for the electorate staff to type up and the politician to sign.) 

So, is our former Prime Minister not doing his job? Should he resign and cause an expensive by-election? I don't know because I don't know him but it may be that he is doing his job. The columnist in question knows this too of course. She is stirring things up in the hope there will be stronger sentiment against him. She wants the expensive and potentially damaging by-election to become a reality. Mmm...is that democracy?