This article beats the OLO word limit hands down. It should be up on the index as an item of record. So many quotable quotes its not funny.

Very timely.

"Reject sensationalist news media" I completely agree and almost never listen to the ABC which is so one eyed and hysterical it's a joke now.

"Turn it off or don’t purchase it" as above on turning it off, but unfortunately they are funded by taxpayer dollars - so no choice there eh?

You're worried about corporate media and don't even mention the most entrenched media bias in our country, the ALPBC or ABC as some people know it, deliberate perhaps?

You make no mention of the awesome funding the ALP gets from their militant funding organizations, the Union movement - why is that? I guess that wouldn't fit with your pitch that the ALP is held by corporate values now, what utter rubbish, we have a socialist pretending at the moment to be anything she can just to get elected. As Richo says "whatever it takes"

They have put Australian workplace relations back to a time before Hawke's Accord - which was godsend for progress in this country.

"The debate does not centre on the fact that our military, or our allies, are directly responsible for the destruction that forces people to flee their homes in leaky boats"

Afghanistan is landlocked, how do we force Afghans to get into leaky boats in Indonesia, if they hate us so much, why come here. This is typical uninformed dogma or deliberate lying of the left.

When did we enter the civil war in Sri Lanka?

Do you have any idea what's going on? Where do you get your information? In the Left Daily I suppose, there are other sources of information you know, there's this thing called the internet ..

What a goose .. of course you're entitled to your views, as am I and the Australian community who are not debating what you think is relevant, but what really IS relevant.

Justin hands down your article is the best this site has ever recieved, and by far the most accurate and daring account of how Liberal and Labor actually operate. From the shifts to the right, the notable lack of action in certain areas, the state of media, and the need for informed citizens to make it work- there's simply too many good points to quote.

Amicus, if you bothered to read it a little harder you would have noticed that he did mention Unions a few times. And do you seriously believe Labor does not pander to corporate interests? Take a look at Bob Carr and get back to me. Or better yet, take a look at NSW and get back to me. This is a party that has sold off more public-owned infrastructure and put even more corporate and economical DE_regulations than even the Liberal party- all for the benefit of their lobbyists.

Anyway, could you care to list what issues *are* important that the Liberal and Labor Party are satisfying? And of course, WHY these issues are so pressingly serious that the state of Australia is necessary (and why). As I see it under both of these parties we've had the brain drain, manufacturing industries leaving our shores, public ownership of practically nothing, extortionate fees to use what was ten years ago a public asset, not much effort to actually prevent terrorists and Islamic extremists from coming to Australia (Hilali and Hizb Ut Tahir), no population plan, pandering to extremist religious groups, banning numerous personal rights, broadband network that is actually WORSE than most of South East Asia, etc.
But do share! (and make sure your answers are detailed or don't bother- it will look like you simply couldn't answer the question)

Although I'm not getting my hopes up- you seem to be falling for a lot of spin, by the looks of your post.

kinghazza "I seem to be falling for a lot of spin, by the looks of your post"

there you go, fixed.

that's my opinion mate, why would I bother justifying it some blowhard like you?

Political parties have not “drifted” to the right, lad; they have deliberately moved to the right to conform to the wishes of the electorate they are working for. Australians who have lived longer than you – the majority - are conservative people who know that the claptrap of the left doesn’t hold up under the normal pressures of life.

The real “antiquated”….political dialogue” is the talk about a ‘working class’, ‘worker’s parties’ and class warfare in general; as is the use of “populism”. Since when were politicians not meant to be popular and do as they are required to do by their employers!

But, what else but nonsense could you expect from a contributor to “Left Focus”, pushing a political system which has failed spectacularly world-wide.

Justin as the face of Australia has changed over the past 40 years so have the platforms of the political parties. Blue collar, white collar, upper class, middle class, the poor, the rural segment and a rather new term of the working poor are slowly melding into political grey rather than the black and white political divisions of Australia in the 20th century. This reshaping of "identity" is a natural progression and both the left and right of the political spectrum are evolving with the electorate.

Pole driven policy making has never been so evident as it is at the moment. But to my mind the major change is the evolution of "spin beyond belief" that our current government employs with abandon. No responsibility is ever taken but kudos is asked for and sadly there has been little call for kudos regarding this present crop of self serving no hopers.

I listen to the lies and spin deflections that the Labor campaign is based around and I laugh out loud at the gall of the individuals mouthing the lies. How stupid do they think the electorate is, obviously considerably stupid given they continue with the blatant lies even when the facts are measurably different to the spin. The outcome of this election will be the definitive answer to the "how stupid" question and I might add that the outcome may also make me evaluate my judgment on how gullible we are. I may have a bridge for sale post election if anyone is interested.

I considered us, we Aussies (left or right) fair dinkum at the end of the day, call a spade a spade and move on. The defense of the indefensible is a slur and insult that is un Australian culturally and exhibits the snide contempt we are held in.

The press and media in general have a lot to answer for regarding their "filtering" and the degree of "prominence" they have applied to the train wreck news emanating from Canberra over the last three years.