It is well-known that politicians these days do not command the kind of respect that used to be given.

Could that be because politicians, in general, do not exhibit any respect for each other. It seems that the various parties are so hell-bent on wrenching power that they forget they are the employees of the voters of Australia. If anyone in a regular workplace behaved in the manner that politicians do, they would be out of a job very quickly, I'm sure.

Perhaps it is time that we, the voters of Australia, DEMANDED that our politicians put aside the personal and party-fuelled vitriole towards each other, and debated the policies on the merits of those policies, not their personal desire for power.

Maybe then we could begin to have some trust in them again, and therefore show some respect.

It might also help if the media stuck to the facts instead of trying to influence the voters with their own slant on each policy or party.

What do others think?

Well come Nellsbells
We have seen such threads before and few would not agree with the behavior you talk of.
We however fuel it too, Medea sells us comic book stuff and we take sides based on it.
POLICY'S get drowned as my side is always right takes over.
School yard bully tactics are on both sides.
And we need to look deeper, many fail to see the issues just the behavior.

I completely agree. But short of some sort French Revolution involving guillotines and large pikes scattered around parliament house in every city then we're pretty much screwed. Short of that, we really need to no confidence the entire lot.

I have NO faith in any of them. They couldn't run a brothel. I'm embarrassed for them.

Dear NellsBells,

It is a shame that what we're currently seeing -
is "wedge politics," - deliberating creating a
division between sectoral interests. Interest
group self-interest and antagonism between
citizens permeates policy making. It's a shame
that there is now a "them" and "us" divide,
rather then simply "us," and there's so much
effort employed in partisan politics - which
could (and should) be much better utilised in
positive pursuits.

What this country desperately needs is new
leadership. Because what we currently have is
putting it as politely as possible - pathetic!

Lexi

'What this country desperately needs is new
leadership. Because what we currently have is
putting it as politely as possible - pathetic! '

Wasn't that what you said when Ms Gillard took over?

"""
They couldn't run a brothel.
"""

Hehehe! But they know how to spend other peoples money visiting them :)

I think the whole face of politics is changing. Just like the Internet is revolutionising retail and trade. So too is it changing politics. I don't think the current lot of ticks have caught on as fast as the population. In fact I would go as far as to say that they're becoming irrelevant and what you're seeing is the last death throws of a dying, parasitic creature that's past its use by date. Interesting times ahead!