BRW produces its annual Rich List edition today. It apparently features just one current federal politician. As the ABC reports:

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says BRW magazine has plucked figures that put his wealth at $178 million “out of the air”.

The magazine says Mr Turnbull is among the 200 richest people in Australia.

But Mr Turnbull says the magazine has “no idea” what the worth is of most of the people on the list.

“It is a speculative figure. It is flattering, but there are many people in the Parliament who have done well in their business lives,” he said.

Mr Turnbull’s net worth is certain to become something of a media talking point in the next 24 hours … reports will be framed around an underlying assumption that he should in some way be embarrassed by his financial success. What rot. If only we had a parliament dotted with rich listers. Men and women who have achieved something in their lives more concrete than the stacking of party branches and the backstabbing of their colleagues. People who entered politics out of a sense of public spirit and duty, never mind the shabby pay and punishing hours. What a rich parliament it would be.