Pelican wrote:

>>That first post is a classic. It looks like it is not politically correct to label anyone Far Right but open slather on Centrists or the Centre/Left (even sometimes the Centre/Right) as kaliG then ignores his own advice and puts the boot in.>>

Agreed.

But what exactly is a "far right" party?

For that matter, what does "far left" mean?

I'm not even sure what "right" and "left" means anymore let alone "far right" and "far left."

The differences, if any, seem to me to be mainly rhetorical and a question of atmospherics.

In what MATERIAL sense is Gillard on the "left."

In what MATERIAL sense was Howard on the "right."

stevenlmeyer,
I look at it as right is right & left is wrong or sense vs nonsense.

To illustrate what I mean by far right and far left is this simple picture:
Far left is SOCIALISM which is a pink version of Communism.
A totalitarian single party state. (I have lived under one)
No human rights or freedom! A police State.
In her early years Gillard was member of the Communist Party.
Far Right is like Singapore have, that is the rule to live by is totally what benefits and is good for the State and its people.
Look how well the average Singaporean lives, compared to the average aussie.
As for Howard he was just right of the center.
The notion of democracy is a state of chaos.
Because each party has to "buy" votes they have to prostitute their true core values, so as to appeal to a wide voter base.

The Katter party is deliberately representing middle Australia, it is interested in delivering a moderate common sense agenda, growing economy, full employment with reasonable distribution, the others are suporting a free market system which has failed.

Katter is both left and right theoetically,as most of us are, right or left are irrelivant today.

Nev

"pelican, i said it before, will do so again, you can try to claim centrist ground as much as you like, you either support closet communist policies like gun laws or you don't."

Formersnag
You are being non-sensical again. Gun laws have nothing to do with Communism-I don't know what sort of books you have been reading. If you cannot see the damage unfettered gun laws have done in the US then you are the blind one. It is possible to agree or disagree with gun laws from either the Left and Right. It is an issue that is more than about ideolgical libertarianism. Just because you accuse someone of closet communist policies like gun laws does not make it true. In fact it is more likely to make it emotively innacurate as your deeply held prejudices and biase clearly indicate.

stevenmeyer
My point is that there is too much focus of late on Left/Right when the reality is there is very little to distinguish the major parties on those traditional ideological lines. Both LNP and ALP in Australia agree on some basic socially democratic principles such as universal health care, education etc while both are also hellbent on privatising some services that have traditionally been owned by 'the people'.

The LNP are good at pushing their 'liberal' and reduced government intervention side but in reality Howard dealt out more in middle class and corporate welfare than every seen previously. The ALP have continued in this fashion with both major parties competing in the pork barrelling stakes.

While a few ignoramouses are focussed on Left/Right politics and imagining all sorts of demons and fantasies many important aspects of governing are being all but lost in the noise

Nev
I agree, Katter is appealing to many people of differing voting allegiances, not only to the traditional Right wing. He is the only politician willing to raise the issue of free trade and the negative effects on domestic economies on the furphy of economic development. He is also in sync with groups like GetUp as far as the Coal Seam Gas debate including rights of property owners. Interesting bedfellows on some fronts.

Katter's Party will no doubt build a following as will the Queensland Party. The only element that will put a damper on the move to the KAP is Katter himself. If the allegations about the merger of the two parties is accurate are we just seeing another corrupt politician who is not willing to listen to all views. Katter is also playing the libertarian card but unwilling to support the rights for same-sex marriage.