chainsmoker, doesn't matter what they think, there's nothing they can do. good that people are open to web as well as mainstream news, but it's just gossip collecting until someone can construct a citizen action group to force pollies to devolve power to the electorate. i see no sign of that happening among ozzies. young and old, the limit of their ambition is to be ruled by a kind and fair master. one who can balance the budget while handing out lollies to all.

the pollies will go on volunteering for that role forever.

would be interested in how you all see this apathy (both from the public and the media) in terms of sedition legislation.
cheers

It is not apathy that the Australian electorate suffers with, it is the realization that both major political parties operate exclusively in the interests of big business, and that after the elections attacks on job security, wages and conditions, the state’s abrogation of democratic rights, the running down of public sector health and education and the war in Iraq will not only continue, they will be intensified. People do care, but they have no way of expressing this through a thoroughly corrupted parliamentary system.

Those who hold power are not unaware of extreme hostility and distrust felt by the vast majority of working people with both political parties. The political forum/ debate plays an important role in this regard.

All political forums in mainstream/commercial media networks, whether it be here or overseas, do not seek to engage in serious political debate. Their function is to provide an outlet for this frustration and disaffection, then lead it down a dead end where no action is taken and nothing changes.

An example of this methodology is the program Opinion. They held a recent forum on the crisis of defaulting home buyers. One suggestion put forward by an academic was the government needs tighter regulation on lending institutions. Fat chance! Big business dictates to the government not vice-a-versa. Other suggestions were even more worthless. At the end of this so-called debate, nothing is resolved, nothing changes.

The media is owned by the same people that support Howard’s IR legislation etc, do you think they are going to tell you how to fight them, or would they instead attempt to disorientate you?

There are ways to facilitate change, but they are not to be found in the institutions of the system itself. To be sure, the law is nothing more than a mechanism for legalizing government malfeasance.

The time is over for pointing out the obvious criminality of those that hold the reigns of power, we are all well aware of this fact. Concrete measures need to be taken based on a political conscious understanding on exactly what it is we confront

Fellow Human,
Glad to see you back, welcome home.

While I know that big busness dictates the Governments policies, both State and Federal and for both major parties, as busness makes massive donations to both parties. There is also and element of apathy from the general public in serious matters. You can tell this by the most popular TV shows.

You will recall the Government announcing intervention in NT communities regarding child abuse, and the ruckus that raised, both for and against. Well just recently there was an article here on OLO about a community called Windale where there has been substantial reduction in child abuse. One would think that all those hundreds of posters who wrote regarding the NT intervention would be interested in how Windale acheived this, but no. There were only 2 posts, so maybe most of the previous posters were simply pushing a political barrow.

A while back I posted an article about FGM being carried out here on Aussie born girls and that attracted only limited posts. I am appalled that FGM happens here and the Governments and media do and say nothing. And it seems the public is not interested.

I just do not know what the answer is. Football and cricket seems to be more important than the welfare of our children. Strange

No, DJD. What you say is only partially correct.

Apathy is a very big problem here. Your opening statement shoots the rest of your comment in the foot.

When you peruse the lead story on most newspaper website, you find people's interests are depressingly trivial.

Good to see so many posters sharing the same feelings.

Public debate is a healthy sign of socially responsible media, organisations and society. The maturity of public debate is important for a successful democracy and nation building.

If we stick with the infotainment as Pericles rightly pointed, we risk ending up with uninformed, polarised views and votes.
The risk of not having a public debate is very divisive to our nations.

The question is, what can we, here and now, do about it?

Thoughts?

Thanks Banjo for your well wishes great to be back.
Its interesting what you said about FGM, I was travelling across the middle east and the ban and criminalisation of FGM was openly debated in many muslim countries and societies.
http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=10391
votes (either pro or anti)

Banjo,