leoj,

I have introduced many links in this discussion.
Including ones of the Liberal Party, the Labor
Party, as well as quoting from a wide variety
of sources on the topic. I have also responded
to posters as best as I can. This discussion is
not about the Greens as you seem to want to believe.
I have no control over your interpretation of things.
Perhaps you need to talk to someone about your
fixations. They do appear to be rather unhealthy.

The problem of the two party system is it isn't.

Dear Bazz,

Again, well said!

cont'd ...

Here's another link (a bit dated but still rleevant)
on how Australia's politics can be improved:

http://theconversation.com/how-can-australias-politics-be-improved-2996

I sometimes think the two-party system (majoritarianism) gets unfairly dumped on.

If there's one thing we can all seem to agree on, regardless of our political persuasion, it's that majoritarianism (preferential voting) sucks and that it needs to be replaced by the consensus system (proportional voting) which most European countries have, yet I never see anyone weigh up the pros and cons of each, and there are many!

The amount of pros and cons of both systems is so even that I have no strong preference for either one. Some often-overlooked benefits to majoritarianism, however, are: the predictability which it offers, greater accountability for the governing party, and the need to appeal to the moderate-middle.

The last one I listed there is what has people feeling like the two major parties are too similar. However, I think any similarity the two major parties share is a small price to pay to have them fight over who can please the moderate-middle the most.

They are, after all, moderate.

Dear AJ,

Well put.

Peter Costello once stated that:

"What the Liberal Party should remember is that it
is the centre-right tradition and opinion in Australia.
By all means the party should reach out to people of
progressive opinion, just as it reaches out to
blue-colour labour. But it will never defeat Labor by
outflanking it from the left. Nor will it win
Government if it swings too far to the right. Most state
divisions are trying to strike an effective balance.
But in New South Wales the left-right split has
seriously weakened the party. Restoring the balance in
the state remains a major issue of unfinished business.
It will come only with a renewed awareness of the
give-and-take in the centre-right tradition."