A Double Dissolution Election !

So both houses of Federal parliament will go to the people to decide who governs Australia.  Perhaps the thinking of many could be summed up by a thought expressed by some people.  " It will be a choice between a government that deserves to lose power and an opposition that doesn't deserve to gain power ".

Great things were expected of Malcolm Turnbull when he became Prime Minister.  Now some brand him as "indecisive " because of constant planning changes. Bill Shorten is not a popular leader and middle Australia will not approve of his shielding a bunch of thugs masquerading as a union which is holding the building industry to ransom.  It is a moot point whether the unions control the ALP - or if it is the other way around.

There are certainly benefits to be gained from this election.  Many will rejoice at the opportunity to give the odious Clive Palmer his marching orders.   In fact the decision by the "Suicide Squad "of eight to reject the Australian Building and Construction Commission bill is likely to see them replaced by a new grouping headed by Nick Xenophon. Neither major party is likely to gain a majority in the Senate.

This will be an extraordinary long campaign of seventy-four days, but a decisive factor in which way the vote sways will rest on the budget which Treasurer Scott Morrison will bring down on May 3. There is no doubt that world events have moved against Australia's traditional source of income as a commodities supplier.  We urgently need to re-balance our income and expenditure - and that dreaded word "Taxation " - will play a part in that re-balancing.

No doubt both the major parties will employ shock tactics in their claims of what the future holds but the intelligence of the general public is under rated.  Some sections of the electorate simply vote from party loyalty but the vast majority consider the issues and are quite capable of accepting unpleasant facts - if they are convinced that these are necessary.  A lot will depend on who can present a coherent action plan - that is believable.

This is certainly the "information age " and to a great extent whatever the parties propose will pass through the filter of respected "commentators ".   Both print and electronic media have elevated journalists with expertise on political matters who provide their interpretation of how policies will play out if implemented.  It is inevitable that personal political preference will colour the tone of that presentation, but in the main most maintain a degree of objectivity.

No doubt the media will be saturated with paid advertising and interested third parties in the commercial world will try and swing the vote behind whichever political party will best serve their interests.  Self serving always comes to the fore at election time and the commercial world has a lot to gain or lose on the outcome of any Federal election.

On July 2 the will of the people will be decided by which side of politics was the most persuasive. The future of Australia will rest in the hands of it's citizens !