The ratty plastic politicians rubbished Trump (how much longer do we have to hear that name) because he is so different from their scabby selves. Trump is not a politician by breeding or desire, and clearly dislikes professional self-serving politicians as much most people do.

However, the blah about "young country" and no time to "establish a political system" is ignorant gibberish from someone who knows nothing about Australia or history. Our system is based on the Westminster system of our British forebears. There is no better system in the world, and all of our problems lie not with it, but with the idiots who abuse it and the Australian people - politicians.

Anica Niepraschk seems to have been imbibing the oil of the eucalpytus she fancifully waffles about.

As an analogy for what ails Australian politics and more importantly, Australian politicians? Thus has it always been so since the days of the self serving/clinically corrupt rum corp? Only considerably more subtle, devious and nuanced today? Well said Sir/Madam!

That said, the astoundingly astute Author's concluding remarks could well become a self fulfilling prophesy, without some radical revision and democratization of the political process/electoral system!?

Which could be kick started with an irrevocable bill of (rigidly resisted by the ruling class) rights?

Without which, inch by inch, (like a frog being slowly, imperceptibly brought to the boil) those (allegorical ones) we are "alleged" to have now, will be removed, along with any tiny trace of, too small to measure, remnant political vision/appetite for pragmatic, fair dinkum reform!? Given all they can see is POWER, winning the treasury benches, and sadly, no farther than the next election cycle!?

Thus it will always remain as long as "politicians" are completely protected from the often diabolically disastrous consequences of their oft, demonstrably dumb decisions!
Alan B.

How could anyone, ever mix politic & Science in the same sentence, let alone combine the two, & call it a new discipline.

Our author has very little idea of how the world works, or what is needed to make it work any better. I can't help wondering if anyone who could write this piece has ever had a real job, or actually worked for a living. I think it highly unlikely, if these ramblings represent her reality.

'It is ripped between the strong economic and military influences of America and Asia. It tries to deal with its European settler past, and still doesn't know how to connect to its Aboriginal people and the oldest culture on earth. It can't seem to choose one or the other, or to create its own.'

just shows how dumbed down we have made people today. Anica might wake up to the obvious fact that Australia is made of of immigrants of many nations. It is only the Indigeneous and Muslims who have refused to 'connect'. Talk about leftist dogma with little logic!

I'm not sure about the metaphore, but I get the point. The author describes the evasive untrustworthy nature of the politician very accurately .
If politicians were not so dangerous to our very survival as Australians, they would be considered a laughable and perpetual act in a three ring circus.

Like too many dishonest Australian businesses, politicians simply step back from responsibility at the end of their term, and establish themselves under a new name, leaving creditors (electorate), high and dry.

I was obliged to suffer yesterday, what seemed an interminably long winded and lying rant by John Laws on (a work site) radio, describing his version of the persecuted and miss-judged politician, in his "differing" view. The only thing missing from the squeaky clean image of a politicians aura, in the Laws view, is a halo and angles wings.

The point being, politicians are simply lost in the eucalypt woods of propaganda, and self delusion, to believe the crowd would fall for the victim politician view, so pronounced from the air waves, by their favourite prince.

The author seems obsessed with Australia's place in the world.
Frankly, from where I sit and what we see of the world I do not
think we need a place in that world.

Lets just saw off the rest of the world and pull up the drawbridge.