Speaker Bronwyn Bishop says: "I have to say I'll be repaying all expenses related to weddings, which while technically in the rules just doesn't look right." "It was because she didn't get the seat that she prefers. She likes the front row of business class," Long says. "But business class was full with the exception of two seats. She was given the seat with no one next to her but she still wasn't happy." After half an hour or so Bishop was finally coaxed on board, Long says. If she didn't take her assigned seat the plane would leave without her. "She made her displeasure very clear when she got on to the aircraft," Long says. Long was the senior attendant and his underlings were visibly scared of this formidable woman. He decided he'd give Bishop, then a Howard government minister, the best personal service he could in an effort to smooth things over.

It didn't go well. "She wouldn't take anything. She was like a spoilt child," he says. "I just thought it was incredible. She's paid by the Australian taxpayer. To even get into her mind that she's entitled to a particular seat just floors me." Long retired from Qantas a decade ago. While the airline frowns upon staff – current and former – speaking to the media, he says he felt compelled to tell his story when news broke last week of Bishop's now notorious chopper charter. Long admits he's never been a Coalition supporter and Bishop's spokesman, Damien Jones, denies the story. "We take whatever seats we're given," he says. But if Long's account is true, it's yet another illustration – as if we needed one – that Bishop long ago lost touch with the people she is supposed to represent.

Not that it seems to matter. While stories of Bishop's profligacy have emerged almost every day since the chopper story broke, her position as Speaker now appears safe. For a moment there – after Treasurer Joe Hockey threw her to the wolves and public anger was at its peak – it seemed as if she might be in trouble. But we should have known better: Bishop's nothing if not a survivor. Her public reputation has been shredded but she has something more valuable: the seemingly unshakeable loyalty of Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Unless the Department of Finance decides to refer her expenses back to the Australian Federal Police for a criminal investigation – an extremely unlikely scenario at this point – Abbott will continue to stand by her and she will be in the Speaker's chair when Parliament resumes in a few weeks. That will be bad for our already diminished Parliament.

Australians don't take Bishop seriously and won't take the Parliament seriously so long as she's in the chair. Why should they respect an institution run by a woman who so blatantly disrespects them and their money? More troubling though is the fact that this whole controversy is unlikely to lead to any changes to the clearly broken parliamentary entitlements system. Abbott and Bill Shorten aren't proposing to do a thing. Abbott just wants the issue to go away, as it has in the past. Shorten was hoping for a political scalp but doesn't appear to have any appetite for meaningful change. Independent senator Nick Xenophon, on the other hand, has proposed sensible changes that would curb some of the excess and reduce the risk of rorts. Abbott and Shorten should give his proposals serious thought. Under his plan, politicians would be policed by an independent expenses umpire and would have to pay back double the value of incorrectly claimed entitlements. They'd also have to report travel details every 30 days – instead of every six months – and pay at least half the cost of their travel if there is any party political business involved.

Xenophon's blueprint would also prohibit politicians from travelling business class on short flights. But never fear Bronwyn, we all know Nick's plan is doomed without the support of the major parties. So yes, private luxury charter flights may be off the table for a little while at least but business class is OK isn't it? As long as you get the seat you want.