Greens MLC Tammy Franks pleads guilty.

[GWW]

i am aware that neither is part of the "ruling" party, but they are still involved in the whole machine that is our parliament. if i lived in either of their eletorates i would be asking some serious questions about how well they were representing my interests while coping with their problems. and that statement goes for a representative of any party, just in case someone wants to accuse me of bias

I stand corrected, but I think both Fisher and Franks are in the Upper Houses of their respective Parliaments (one Federal, one State), so they don't have an actual electorate, but are voted in by the quota system.

Nevertheless, I do agree it is an issue they are in the position they are, given their personal circumstances.

[tipper]

You are probably right GWW, sorry my mistake my question still stands though, i would actually like to see others thoughts on it. part of me thins it should be disclosed, but another part thinks that they are still entitled to privacy. if it was to be disclosed, who/what would it be to, how would they be insulated from partisanism (is that a word?) and how would the issue be managed? at what point of an illness should a person be given leave/stood down?

[Psyber]

There is a valid issue of competence for the job to be asked
The answer probably depends on whether the incapacity is constant or intermittent.

Some of the genetically based disorders like Bipolar Disorder can be stable for years and only get out of control occasionally.
Some people with this do extremely well in business because if they are only mildly "high" they have more energy and imagination then most people, and are prepared to take risks that sometimes pay off big.
It is sometimes correlated with "creativity".

In politics there have been national leaders with severe illness:

Retrospective opinion is that Winston Churchill did have Bipolar Disorder in the days before effective treatment.
By repute he would sometimes not sleep for days when things were critical and then collapse and disappear for days - he called it "My black dog." and the term has been borrowed since.
Yet he was effective..

A certain private Psychiatric hospital in Melbourne that ran a detox programme was known locally as "Bob Hawke's second home" during his period as PM.

A former Egyptian Army medical officer I know told me Muammar Gaddafi had been in an Egyptian mental hospital for his Schizophrenia prior to coming to power in Libya.
That would explain his strange beliefs and his rambling and incoherent speeches...

[tipper]

hi all, this topic is back on the adelaide now site (apologies for visiting that site ). supposedly the Tax office has done the sums and it totals to $21,000 that is owed, but that is going to be disputed. I believe Ms Franks originally stated that she would be owed money once she lodged all the forms so this is a fair turn around. link below

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/stressed- ... 6206174438

[Psyber]

Didn't a well known former Treasurer in the Hawke Govt fail to lodge a tax return on year..

Two years actually.
When the ATO was on my back, and threatening fines, for being two years behind in 2003 I asked them how much grace they'd given him and they backed off.
They agreed to give me another 6 months and no fines.

[dedja]

This woman claims all a divorce and depression etc for not being able to file a tax return.
But had enough ability to become a prominent player in a political party and run a campaign to get elected.
Get her out.

I've had enough of people like her and Fisher claiming a mental illness such as 'depression' or 'anxiety' for their poor personal decision making (and they're not the only ones who have done it). It does no good for the cause of those who are really suffering.

+1