The author's last paragraph particularly resonates with me. I really have no idea who to support now. The coalition turned its back on supporting the small guy years ago, labor is heading down the same route with some of its social welfare policies particularly nasty and mean-spirited, certainly not the same party that Hawke and Keating led all those years ago. I personally can't see Gillard or any of her top ministers emulating Keating's impassioned response, when goaded by the conservatives to be tougher on the unemployed; "I won't, I bloody well won't". And the Greens. I like some of their progressive ideas and their commitment to the environment, but their naivety on foreign relations and the need for a small country like ours to have a good defense (when you swim with sharks, know how to bite back) worries me a lot. So come the next federal election, I really have no idea who to cast for.

Good article.
the contrast between Fraser 1975 and Fraser post 1996 is a cause of constant tension for those of us still maintaining the rage.
Despite my wanting to forgive him for his tresspasses, his ruthlessness and his willingness at the time to ride roughshod over the moral and ethical bottom lines which he now courageously defends, overrides my warming to his present persona.

My feelings too darth. Shal as a teenager of the 70s I remember the rage.

At least back in the Fraser era one knew what they were voting for in terms of ideological stance and there was a welcome addition to the two party alternative in the Australian Democrats emerging in the 70s, a smattering of good Independents like Ted Mack. There were even true social democrats among the Libs and the Greens were slowly forming in the early 80s.

Both the major parties have swung too far to the right in their way, one taking on the neo-liberal stance and the other resembling more the Tea Party uprising. There is a chameleon like quality to both parties now obssessed with polling and sportsman like competitivenessor one-upmanship instead of raw policy and ideology. What do they stand for other than the feelgood motherhood statements?

What happened to social democracy? It got lost along the way along with customer service and quality products with the rise of consumerism and economic rationalism - both parties to blame for perpetuating the trend.

Economic rationalism must be one the most irrational trends to come out of the 80s. I wonder how a Fraser led Government would have handled it or would he have fought for public assets and quality public service. Would he now seek for public inquiries into the various fire sales of our public assets over the last 20 years.