I'm not to convinced that the slogans and appealing to secterian interests IS quite so subliminal as 'dog-whistling' (thanks for the definition BTW) because it was rather obvious to everyone- however, what it DOES do is unconditionally cement the loyalty of people who support politically-incorrect ideologies by effectively saying "Worry not poor outspoken voter, for I will secretly support your forbidden desires, just as long as we keep quiet so we don't get into trouble"- it doesn't so much as throw off the other side as make desperate supporters THINK it and they have a 'forbidden' confidant.

As for disingenious sloganeering- it's far wider than the supposed target audience the article implies- this very quote "This stand-off in Indonesia [over Sri Lankans refusing to leave an Australian Customs vessel for Indonesian refugee camps] demeans Australia in the eyes of the world, and diminishes us as a people"- is exactly the same, as it intends to play upon irrational unfounded fears itself.

The massive problem with politics is that (to the mutual benefit of both "sides" of an issue), various topics are social taboo to raise- and as a result politics merely becomes an obscure game of misleading hints to gain votes and support;
Luckily, now the age of political-correctness has ended in the dustbin of history these parties will loose support over time to those who can learn to speak openly.

Ken plays the old left V,s right paradigm.The reality is that the West is controlled by an Oligarchy,ie a combination of Corporate and Govt collusion in which small business and it's workers are nothing more than slaves to a repressive regieme.

Kevin,Obama,Bush and Abbott are controlled by the same puppett masters(ie Wall St & US Federal Reserve) and this is reality is revealled by their impotence in making Australia/USA a truely sovernign states,in which the will and well being of the people are addressed.

We were better off in 1980 with less technology and less Govt to protect us.

That is one thing you could not criticise Pauline Hanson, she was if nothing else, open and honest which ultimately did not score her any points.

The reality was as the author points out, her opponents did the same but more covertly, during incidents such as the Tampa, Children Overboard saga. I remember at that time Alexander Downer making the comment something along the lines of " do we want people like that coming to Australia", all the while knowing that the reports were dubious.

Fear is a powerful tool which led to the mistreatment Jews in Germany, and the discrimination of Japanese and German people living OS before, during and after the war.

Fact is that whether the message is clear, open, honest or overt as opposed to subliminal or hidden in weasel words (gratis Don Watson) ultimately people will vote the same way with the same intention.

Politics is ridden with these sorts of tactics on both the Left and Right. The Rudd Government's use of "working families" is just as heavily loaded and misleading as the Howard Government's "Work Choices".

Ultimately, you have to give the public some credit for distinguishing reality from spin, no matter who is dishing it.

Fear is the most effective form of communication

Other emotions fade (happiness, anger etc); but fear is able to feed on itself

It is an indictment on Australian society that fear and greed have becoming our ultimate motivators

Leigh,

Regarding turning back boats - Under Howard, Navy ships were initially directed to use all means short of sinking boats to force them to turn back.

In the case of SIEV4 (of Children Overboard fame), they used loudhailer warnings, then repeated volleys of cannon and machinegun fire across the bow, then dangerous close-quarters blocking maneouvres, and then aggressive boarding actions by armed assault teams.

Rudd must have stopped this strategy because Abbott wants to reintroduce and expand it to include turning back all seaworthy boats under threat of violence.

Arjay, pity about Obama being in your Oligarchy.

Maybe could say that he has just about lost his personal plot, or rather his plan, which was actually to steer America rather than spout too much about his own wonderful America, when it was not really what was in his heart.

Now could say the poor beggar is trapped, virtually probably by following the Clintons too much, or by trying to express his own love of America too much.

Certainly he must know in his heart, that the US still carries too much of its neo-colonial trappings, which is the real reason for the increase in terrorism since WW2, and of course, 9/11