Most posters in this thread again highlight the thought if you do not vote like me you are wrong!
And constant claims that those others are corrupt is laughable! it truly is.
Both sides and even the lost in between of politics claim democracy is the best way ,but can not except its results.
Coal, those who want to end its use and mostly now not in say ten years ,are so far away from average Aussie that they may just as well be on another planet.
The views we each hold are not granted sainthood because they are ours, they may even be wrong.
But evidence exists that conservative party's are out of touch with voters, every state government screams that message surely?
And make no mistake after the federal election no government other than a council will be ruled by conservatives in Australia.
At that time, finally the debate we should be having now will begin, a new leader or new direction for conservatives? both in my view now.

I find this article a bit strange. It asked:

'What if Iemma and Debnam had to face a third of the electorate not voting at all out of disgust with the political machinations?'

Answer: they wouldn't give a toss. If two thirds didn't vote they might start worrying a little about the bad image...

As for independents having probity, that applies even more to The Greens. They don't take developer donations and they have a bottom-up democratic process within the party so the elected representatives and 'heavies' don't have as much leeway to act corruptly compared to the more hierachical major parties. For instance the state organisation cannot override local groups in choosing candidates or preferences.

In my electorate I would say the sitting independent member is far less voter-responsive than the Greens candidate, and also got elected partly on developer money. Plus The Greens have Council and upper house electees as well so they are potentially more effective than independents.

It is perhaps odd that whilst state members are cited, except for the AWB, the Federal escapes censure. Yet books such as 'Silencing Dissent', Hamilton & Maddison and a number similar, point to the secrecy of this government and the ways in which the Democratic will has been, well thwarted, if people knew.
Elizabeth de la Vega, a retired US federal prosecutor for over twenty years has devised a fictional account of the indictment of Bush and others for fraud. That is a grand jury indictment for taking the US to war in Iraq fraudulently, violating Title 18, US Code section 371. This because the US is not party to the ICC, this court thus having no jurisdiction in the matter. The method is to use fiction but the elements in the indictment are not. 'US V. Bush seven storeis press available in Australia.
Australia you may remember, so much trivia having passed since, on September 14 2001, five days after 9/11 committed under the ANZUS to support America.
The Australian populace received the material fed to the Americans, aided here as there by a supine or subject media. This is the subject of the fictional indictment.
My copy of the Constitution is missing but the American law cited has to do with people in public office swearing not to defraud the State and maybe our document says similarly. But we do not need to do that the Statute of Rome establishing the International Criminal Court requested Sates ratifying the treaty to incorporate much in their criminal law and use this for prosecuting war Crimes approaching the ICC when necessary. We have done so, largely unused, and it has yet to be rescinded, which as America did with the ICC is possible. Iraq is not a signatory either, the implications escape me.
A number of prosecution are being attempted, here in the UK and America. It is not possible to indict serving politicians and in Australia it is the serving Attorney General who brings the case.
The implications are obvious.

Lachlan, Agree big time. Well said, someone else who sees the facts about our two major greedy and corrupt parties.

Michael G., Agree also. They really couldn't care who votes as they know the majority of barrackers will just tick for one or the other of the big two. If it's 10 votes to 5 or 20,000 to 10,000 they wouldn't care in the slightest. Author way of track here.

What is Kang talking about? Hasn't read the article obviously, just has water on the brain. Fell for all the panic and fear roromoted by government and the media did we?

Howard sack a Minister? For what? Corruption? Don't be silly, that would be an admission of something and we all know Howard will never do that, admit anything. He only "accepts" resignations over unfounded gossip which is, after all, the most highly rated criteria in our society. NOT. Courruption is fine even when it's Saddam we are caught giving money too. No worries at all. The stench is rank.

"Surveys show that many respondents have long believed that governments favour the big interests over ordinary people, and rate politicians low on questions of ethics and honesty. But these seemed to me to be harsh judgments made out of ignorance of their job."

Oh really? Just who is being ignorant of their jobs? What world are you in to raise that people consider their every-day swindlings, deprivations and murderous war crimes merely as "harsh judgements"? My considerations and sensitivity go towards the victims they have systematically ground down in poverty. It has been far harsher on pensioners who have had to suffer despicable destitution and deficiency in their elderly years. Surely, we would have to consider over the last hundred years, thousands of pensioners, driven to an early death because they could not afford medicine or proper health care. In contrast, Bob Hawke for example, received one and a quarter million dollars retirement payout plus a large pension for life and concessions. How many workers will the politicians send to an early grave due to the big dollar plans they envision for the hospital/ Medicare privatisation process. Then there have been those who have perished due to the long waiting lists that have been deliberately contrived from closure of hospitals, wards and specialised medical staff dismissed. In this way the medical system can be commercialised, a shortage, a market created, whereby patients sufferering pain, limbs, or life threating injuries will have to pay extortionate amounts. What sort of horrors including poverty and extreme exploitation do you think the intended workplace relations laws will create?

Intended workplace relation laws? long in place the biggest pain I fear daily is part of the Australian culture.
I am all right mate! its not affecting me yet so why worry?
Have you seen a 60 year old man doing the only job he can get for less than $10 an hour?
Not in Australia you say? yes in Australia pushing super market trolleys back into the store for contractors who even make some wait for three weeks before paying them.
And who avoid tax and find far more protection under workchoices than those who work for them.
Australia, once fair go mate! meant for every one.
Question the truth of this? take the blinkers of friends its very sad and very true
Its my daily nightmare
John Howard Sir go now go with grace and let us restore dignity to our country's IR laws.