The " Undecided " !

With just a handful of days remaining before the electors of Australia troop to the polls to elect a Federal government, opinion polls show that a very large number of people fill that category described as " undecided " !   Some may not make a final decision until they find themselves in the voting booth with a piece of paper in their hand - and in this close election the choice they make may actually determine the result.

For most of the twentieth century politics was a clear choice  The vast majority of voters either supported Labor or the Liberal/National parties.   They replaced each other in office in dreary precision and any excesses in left or right legislation was usually at least toned down as the balance of power changed.  We actually achieved fairly "good government" in that era.

Today we are seeing a political change across the entire world.  Support for traditional political parties is waning and countries are more likely to be governed by a coalition of several minor parties holding the balance of power.   In many cases these are unlikely bedfellows and as a result the alliances are swiftly changing, making decisive government impossible and delivering " populist " decisions where unpopular measures are necessary to prevent financial decay.

We have seen that recently in this country.   The election of  " hung " parliaments saw power devolve into the hands of a small cadre of individuals who shamelessly held the nation to ransom by extracting the delivery of " goodies " to their electorates in exchange for their crucial support to enable one of the major political parties to govern.

The names " Wilkie ", " Windsor", " Oakshott " and later" Palmer " joined the lexicon.  Some of them are seeking to again offer at this coming election - and the name " Exenophon " may become vitally essential to the course this nation takes.   It seems unlikely that the two major parties will ever again achieve the dominance they once held.

Perhaps it is the sheer hypocrisy of politics that has tuned the voters away.   Just as in the law courts, politics is the " combat " of opposing forces.   The government faces an " Opposition " who in the majority of cases seeks to deny passage of whatever those in power are proposing.   So often, when the balance of power changes, these same policies so bitterly opposed become the legislation they are seeking to enact.   The merits of the proposal are the victim of sheer political gain.

Politics is the art of amassing the support of sections of the public and this has devolved in Australia with Labor having the backing of the trade unions and purporting to represent the " workers " who toil in industry.   The Liberal/National parties look to farmers and the vast network of self employed who generate the tax income that underpins the economy.   Every piece of legislation is minutely examined to determine its impact on each interest grouping.

Sadly, any benefit to the public must first pass the test of political sustainability - and little legislation passes without attempts to achieve at least some change.   The wonder is that with such a divisive system we actually manage to achieve an economy that is the envy of the world.

We must be doing something right if Australia is the chosen destination of thousands of people ready to risk their lives in overcrowded boats to reach this country -  and how many we will accept may be one of the issues that decides the final outcome of this coming vote !