Ah, my adopted country...

So last week, in what must have been a bit of a slow news week back home in Australia, there was a big outcry by many current and former federal politicians about how the security staff at Australia's Parliament House had been instructed that it was inappropriate to greet visitors with the term "mate". Some of the quotes were quite laughable, with the instruction being described as "un-Australian", a "bloody outrage", and I remember one MP saying she was "highly offended", even though the situation had absolutely nothing to do with her at all.

But this morning I have discovered that what counts for an intriguing story about visitors and staff in Australia's halls of power can not but hold a candle to what occurs amongst visitors and staff in Colombia's same halls.

It seems that cocaine dealers have been able to find a willing market for their product inside the halls of Congress, helped by security being so poor and some politicians so utterly devoid of integrity.

"Biscuit sellers, shoe sellers, astrologers and marijuana and cocaine dealers all enter Congress" according to the Senate Vice-President, whilst also adding that none of the closed circuit security cameras worked, and that around 10,000 people possessed ID badges for the building, and most of the badges were fake.

But my favourite part is this. A fellow senator and also presidential candidate for next year's elections expressed surprise at the allegations, supporting his reaction of astonishment with the following quote:

"Speaking for myself, nobody has offered me any."

Full story here.