Nauseating parasitism.

Australia's Macedonian community is deeply concerned about the bipartisan policy of institutional discrimination and de-legitimisation of the Republic of Macedonia and its diaspora. The policy was introduced behind close doors in 1994 without any national, parliamentary or foreign policy debate and without of the consent of Australia's 100,000 strong community. The shameful and unsustainable policy is at odds with the policy position by the USA, Canada, UK, China, Indonesia, Russia, Turkey and many others at the UN. We have started a campaign to determine how much direct and indirect funding Labor and the Libs have pocketed from 1994 to date from Hellenic sources in order to sell our foreign policy to the highest bidder. We also seek to educate key stakeholders in Australia about the detrimental impact that the failed foreign policy is having on Australia's democracy, multiculturalism and our place in the world as a good international citizen. Shame on Turnbull and Shorten and their party machinery for supporting failed and shameful foreign policy.

6% unemployment is still much too high, and it's even higher in some areas. Plus there's a lot of underemployment and many people have given up looking for work. And cutting the deficit will only push up the unemployment rate while providing no tangible benefit whatsoever to the Australian economy.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Macedonian advocacy,

Firstly, what institutional discrimination?
Secondly, why not solve all your problems by referring to your country as North Macedonia?

Take a coin and grind it on both surfaces: how thin does it need to get until you no longer can speak of "two sides"? Does the coin need to become transparent or perhaps do you need to continue grinding until it has a negative width where one surface goes further than where the other used to be?

Even speaking of "neither side" is misleading and hopefully by the 2019 elections nobody will be speaking of "sides" any more. This stupid "Left" vs. "Right" anachronism needs to go!

A great insightful article Brendan on the 'Dishonesty of politics' - 'Jesus often said: "I tell you the truth!" - There are not apparently ANY politicians that could claim this of recent nor earlier times?

Others may quote the adage 'We get the politicians we deserve.'

An election neither side deserves to win?

I don't think people think along those lines or see political service as some sort of prize? Unless they're mentally unstable?

What has been missing since day one has been bold ideas or rather possible dreams that capture the imagination and take the populace with them? Anyone can sell a piece of the pie, but there seems to be a complete lack of a cogent plan to bake a much bigger pie?

And thus it will always be so as long as it's all about winning and personality politics? As opposed to the national interest!

In which case Tony Abbott should have simply bowed out gracefully and urged his clique to do likewise! If only to truly serve the interests of his side of politics!

What has made this election so hard for Malcolm or even snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? Was the possibility that once the contest was over and his job done, he would be rolled and the Abbott camp replete with the Abbott camp policies (political bastardry) and mantra reinstalled!

It's almost as if some folks (conservatives) think that elections are just a tiresome bother than must be won by almost any means (out and out untruths and a plethora of non core promises) and haven't we had and absolute bellyful of those? Then be able to get back to the same old business as usual?

If we end up with a hung parliament the best thing that can happen is a new election be called ASAP!
Or settle for a period where we are governed by tails that wag dogs and engage in blatant political blackmail!?

And if tony doesn't take himself and his stalled political ambitions completely out of the race then Malcolm should? He just doesn't need the aggravation! I mean haven't any of you folk been watching what has been happening elsewhere and what it indicates!? And then you wonder why young folks have lost interest in politics as usual!
Alan B.