Moderation or Carte Blanche?

Our elected members of government work hard and incur expenses. Aside from their pay packet, they do get allowances for admin stuff, travel, accommodation away from home etc. However, it seems to me that most of our government representatives (upper and lower houses in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, USA or wherever) for too long have enjoyed rorting the system wherever possible. Vintage champagne and caviar; hotel stays for one night at exorbitant cost that would feed a family of four for several months; escort services on the sly away from home etc … the list goes on and on if you look.

In a political world that requires us to tighten our belts, and revise our (wasteful) habits, should our elected members of government set the precedent? How long will we continue to ignore their antics of greedily mucking their snouts in a feeding trough at our expense?