“Cabinet Minister Trevor Mallard had a day from hell yesterday. He was convicted of fighting in a public place and then forced to make a humiliating apology to a public servant he had accused under Parliamentary privilege of incompetence.

Also yesterday, Mr Mallard, along with his 62 colleagues, voted to turn the Electoral Finance Bill into law.

It is ironic, but not surprising, that Mr Mallard should be judged more harshly for a bit of old-fashioned thuggery than for his enthusiasm for the bill, whose success made the day far blacker.

Many readers, listeners and viewers must have found the interminable debate throughout the bill’s stages tiresome, its detail arcane and its effects remote.

It has all been a telling illustration of how immune politicians can become to adverse public opinion that they can treat those to whom they should be answerable with such arrogance.

Having none themselves, they fail to recognise principles in others and scorn any who raise a voice in dissent as being driven by greed and self interest. By their definition it is not possible to defend democracy or to be capable of moral rectitude without agreeing implicitly with their own political ambitions.

Lest we forget? The Government and its fellow travellers are banking on it.

They deserve nothing more than to be proven wrong next year by voters keen to repay their contempt in spades.”