AUSTRALIA’S lengthy roll-call of recently removed prime ministers is causing unprecedented diplomatic congestion at our biggest embassies.
All are travelling widely and all seek VIP attention from diplomats when they land.
On arrival overseas the ex-PMs can expect assistance in transport and in making appointments with senior officials of the host nation — as they are entitled to do.
The problem comes when they arrive at the same city at roughly the same time and limited resources have to be spread around to accommodate them. Drastic measures are being considered to handle these VIP traffic jams.
Over the past seven years three Prime Ministers have been removed from office by the electorate or by their own party — John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard.
All three now have active private careers which often take them overseas where they seek the help of embassies. A frequent destination is Washington and recently all three were in the city at the same time, straining the hospitality of our diplomats.
• Airport pick-ups and special customs clearance to avoid long queues at airports, all arranged by the local embassy;
• At home, an office and two staff at a maximum cost of $300,000 a year plus payment of all home and mobile telephone bills;
• Lifetime gold passes for domestic and international travel and access to limousine services in Australia.
There have been seven prime ministers leave office since Bob Hawke was replaced by Paul Keating in 1991, and eight since Malcolm Fraser departed in 1983. Three in the past seven years is a remarkable grouping.
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There could be some cost cutting there, you'd think...
