“Honourable” Not in Their Vocabulary:

🏛️ “Honourable” Not in Their Vocabulary: When Titles Outlive Virtue

By [socialspaceblog.au]

In Australia’s parliamentary tradition, the title “Honourable” is more than ceremonial. It’s a public declaration—a promise that the bearer will uphold integrity, dignity, and democratic values in both word and deed. It’s meant to signal restraint in rhetoric, respect for life, and a commitment to civil discourse, even in the heat of ideological battle.

But what happens when those entrusted with this title use their platforms to mock the dead, trivialize political violence, or flirt with cruelty for clicks?

What happens when “Honourable” becomes hollow?

Two recent examples—Zali Steggall and Fatima Payman—have shown us just how far the title can drift from its meaning. In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, both women engaged with content that mocked or minimized the gravity of his death. Their actions weren’t just tone-deaf. They were corrosive.

🎭 Zali Steggall: Flora, Filters, and Flippancy

Steggall, the independent MP for Warringah, liked an Instagram post that stated “violence is sometimes necessary”, posted just hours after Kirk was murdered. The post, by progressive influencer Hannah Ferguson, included lines like “Am I glad Charlie Kirk will no longer spread his extremist messaging? Yes”.

Steggall later unliked the post and issued a clarification, claiming she was engaging with the “broader conversation” about online polarisation. But when a sitting MP interacts with content that rationalizes political violence, it’s not engagement—it’s endorsement by proxy.

This is the same MP who commissioned a portrait of herself as the Roman goddess Flora, surrounded by endangered birds and native blooms. A shrine to self-importance, perhaps. But civic virtue? That’s the species most endangered in her office.

📱 Fatima Payman: TikTok Takes and Trivialising Tragedy

Then there’s Fatima Payman, Senator for Western Australia, who responded to Kirk’s murder with a TikTok video saying “RIP—whatever you want RIP to stand for”. She added that Kirk “doesn’t deserve all the recognition he’s getting” and called him “a pretty awful person”.

This wasn’t a policy statement. It was a smirk in real time. A moment of performative cruelty dressed up as commentary. Payman, who rose from refugee to senator, has every reason to champion democratic values. Instead, she mocked the death of a man killed while exercising free speech.

Her party is called Australia’s Voice. But if this is the tone of that voice, it’s not one of unity—it’s one of contempt.

🧭 When “Honourable” Becomes Hollow

The title “Honourable” is not a participation trophy. It’s a moral contract. And when that contract is broken—when elected officials flirt with or amplify content that trivializes political violence—they’re not just dishonouring their office. They’re dishonouring the very idea of public service.

This isn’t about left or right. It’s about right and wrong.

When public grief becomes a punchline, and murder becomes a moment for ideological point-scoring, we’re not just losing civility—we’re losing the soul of our democracy.

✍️ Final Word: RIP—Respect in Parliament

So here’s my suggestion: let’s retire the title “Honourable” until it’s earned again. Let’s replace it with something more honest.
“Performative MP”?
“Senator for Selfie Nation”?
“Influencer-in-Chief”?

Because until our leaders learn that dignity is not a filter, and grief is not a branding opportunity, the only thing we’ll be burying is the last shred of civic decency.