By: Barry Soper | Monday, July 16, 2012 5:57 AM

The grizzlies are back in Parliament's bear pit this week after a couple of weeks of hibernation, although father bear Lockjaw Smith and four of his colleagues are an exception. They shrugged off the winter blues here heading to the northern hemisphere to get a handle on how things are going in that part of the world.

If you envied their $158,000 junket, you can take some solace from the fact that the weather they enjoyed there wasn't much better than it was here.

But if you're now looking for a speaker to inform your audience on how the Croatian Parliament works then you can have a politician of your particular persuasion, because most parties were represented on the fact finding sojourn, although United Future and Act were the odd men left out. Being from parties of one Prissy Peter Dunne and Banksie have to protect their patch back home.

And something of an expert in protecting his patch is Luigi Peters, the father of the super gold card.

The card's like his political advertising billboard. It's not unusual to hear the grey set revering him as they flash their cards at bus drivers in the capital, knowing they're on their free outing thanks to the feisty pinstripe.

A recent recruitment drive has seen a further 2000 businesses sign up. The card gives discounts to around 600,000 superannuitants which of course is Luigi's support base. The oldies got the discount card as part of the deal Luigi cut with Clark and her cronies six years ago.

He's now wanting more benefits for cardholders, like a ten percent discount on power prices and three free doctors visits a year which is bound to appease those he's so desperate to please.

But unfortunately for him he currently doesn't hold the key to the Treasury trove, he doesn't currently have the clout no matter how hard he might shout!