The main problem with Australia's political parties, is how they view themselves, i.e., as the ruling elite.

Tyrants rule, elected politicians serve!

Another is the business as usual of divide and "rule" politics! Same animal different mother.

And the goal is to win at all costs, even the cost of personal integrity. If any of you had any to start with?

Now it's weasel words, wriggle room and blame-shifting all over the joint. And a torrent of obscene language and bully boy tactics in the back room.

And then there's branch stacking and dirty deals done in the dead of night to usurp the voting public's right to install their most preferred candidate

It was all supposed to be about the battle of big ideas and bipartisan pragmatism and uniting the nation against common foes!

Then there is funding issues and what they seem to purchase?

And last but not least is the curse of coal and the asinine prohibition on nuclear energy. Even when every boy and his dog has it or is getting it. An anti-proliferation treaty, what a joke!

We could reverse that absurd asinine anti-nuclear policy and allow unfettered R+D in our universities. this would allow a huge cash grants injection from myriad parties and much advancement for us!

Plus the possibility of quite massive production of, miracle cancer cure, [done in outback day clinics with the alpha particle,] bismuth 213.

Which would be a very generous almost free, byproduct of MSR thorium. And the annual injection out there of millions as medical tourism of around a million P.A.

Moreover, MSR can be retasked to burn nuclear waste or weapons-grade plutonium!

I kid you not! And our economy would suffer no harm by subsequent energy prices of a very possible 2.98 cents PKWH! OR MUCH LESS!

It has to be servitude and doing the right thing by the Australian people, because it's the right thing to do! Not because it's politically expedient!
Alan B.

I actually think we have had reasonable govts over the years, albeit hardly perfect in an imperfect world.

Once we get over relying on basic industries, such as what is in the ground, i think we can get even better. We must get better.

IMO, the Morrison govt has extremely difficult circumstances to respond to, more so than other governments since the 1980s.

A giant con? Are you serious or simply demented? What?10 million casualties and over half a million dead! And you seriously expect us to believe it's a giant con? I suppose you also believe that climate change is all BS?

And here you are allowed to publish to supposedly affect public opinion with this C.R.A.P.

Yes, we seemed to have dodged a bullet, but with mucho plenty good luck and as the result of our location.

I get that some folk/the Author, see covid -19 as a boomer remover! And that's not a huge loss! And that the economy is far more important than saving Grandad and Grandma, Mum and Dad, Aunty and Uncle? Boris? And several hundred front line medicos! It's all acceptable collateral damage!? Yes?

Some fool will finally understand, we can't go back and change history!

And that our task now is our best possible recovery, not the business as usual politics and looking after cronies or donators with the deepest pockets!

Send good money after bad to defend Australia against a Chinese aggressor? What for? When you are simultaneously allowing them to buy the choicest bits/anything they want?
Alan B.

Are you aware that twice over the last two years Xi Jinping told the PLA to prepare for war?

But according to Foxy Australia will not be affected (citing Niall Ferguson) and only China and America will be affected.

So according to Foxy we don't have anything to worry about and anybody who is worried is just being xenophobic. After all China has not done anything to harm Australia recently so why worry.

I think it was Peter Costello who referred to
small-business people with their families and
those who identify with them, as the "forgotten
people". And as the core-supporters of the
Coalition.

Costello pointed out that these people were always
being squeezed by Government. Unlike big business
these people cannot afford the shielding professions
of accountants and lawyers to protect them against
Government. They fall victim to complicated tax rules,
training guarantee levies, ABS form demands, with
their back-up from a maze of tribunals, legislation,
organisers and Government.

These people are not organised, they do not spend their
time extracting from Government because they are too busy
attending to business and satiating Government's
extraction from them. They are worried about their
own future and the future of their children.

The Coalition must always remember these "forgotten
people". They must add to their base if they are to cross
the electoral line and make it possible to practically
help these people.

Also the Coalition needs to apply policies to issues that
concern wider groups in the community as well. By addressing
issues of concern, they will widen their constituency.

Issues (and there are many), the values of the Coalition like -
individual dignity, self-reliance, national sovereignty,
personal liberty, a fair-go, are all highly relevant.
These values resonate with those of the Australian people.

There is an eager audience ready to listen to those who
have the courage to address their concerns.

What this means is - communicating the values that motivate
a party's political approach to the issues of the day, and
convincing voters that this will improve their lot and
improve the fortunes of those they care about. Since most
Australians care about their country, it also means showing
what they will do for the nation.

A political party's vision is the rudder. The rest are the
oars. People are more interested in ideas than procedures.
And people need to given a stake in ideas to
sustain them through the long march of modern politics.

Golly!
Seems like a take-no-prisoners fascist manifesto to me. Only me (that is Paul) and his fellow right-thinking true believers know the truth.

Anyone who pretends that the Donald or the orange haired anti-Christ is going to make a positive difference to either American culture or the world altogether is seriously deluded.
Paul referred to Jesus and the apostles.
Keeping in mind the fact the Jesus was scathingly critical of both the political and ecclesiastical establishment of his time and place I wonder what Jesus would have to say about the Donald?
Never mind too that all of the so called conservative religionists that surround and praise the Donald are certifiable psychopaths.

Re Ronald Reagan the "sunny optimist" why not check out this website which describes his dreadful "sanity" http://psychohistory.com/reagans-america

And the book The Man Who Sold the World Ronald Reagan and the Betrayal of Main Street America by William Kleinknecht which is reviewed here:
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Ronald_Reagan/Man_Who_Sold_World.html As are other critical essays etc