I am now living through the fourth election campaign since my arrival in Australia. Once again I am unable to discern any material difference between the two major parties.

As far as I can work out, my life, and the life of everyone I know, will continue pretty much along the same trajectory no matter who wins.

And yet people get so passionate about politics here.

But then I noticed the online betting exchange, www.betfair.com

Betfair classifies politics as a sport.

And then I understood.

Australian politics has nothing to do with the issues of the day. It is a team sport. ALP supporters want their team to win in the same way my son wants the Bombers to win and I want the South African Cricket team to win.

Whew, what a relief. At last the penny drops.

One quibble.

If I were running Betfair I'm not sure I would categorise politics as a sport. "Opera" seems a better classification but I guess people don't bet on opera.

So what is Australian politics?

A sport?

Opera?

A bit of both?

Steven,

Politics the world over is an inherently tribal thing. So you're going to get rabid supporters on both sides just as you do with any popular sport.

And before DEMOS gets in with his remarks, it will occure in what ever system you build. It happens in communism, it happens in democracies and it will happen in free for all anarchic systems.

LOL James,

Perhaps DEMOS can explain what material differences exist between the ALP the and coalition.

Opera seems a better paradigm than sport because politicians are like divas. They sing whatever tune is required of them.

Then again, what else can Australian politicians do? Australia is a bit player in world affairs. We respond to, rather than shape, the world. When it comes to great issues like global warming we're at the mercy of the big players.

Steve,

I agree, the two main parties have started to converge on certain areas, however I think this is more a factor of following rather than leading.

The electorate has been scared into conservatism, with September 11 people want security and so they demand it of their leaders. I think we're starting to see the inevitable back swing as people start to look at exactly what has been done in their name, but its going to take while to work its way through.

Mind you I'm saying this as an independent candidate so always take what I saw with a grain of salt :)

be fair now, i'm the one that despises political parties, all of them.

ozzies don't get the point of democracy, pretty much for the same reason innuit don't get snorkeling. there just isn't any around as you grow up.
so go on whingeing about pollies while doing nothing to control them. she'll be right, mate.

Sport is corrupt and so is politics. Opera can be high drama but it is also full of intrigue...bit of both perhaps?

I think you're right communicat. Bit of both.

I wish you luck in your election James.

Your post leads to an inevitable question. Given the tight constraints under which Australia, as a bit player on the international scene, operates, what would you like to see that's radically different to what we have now.

I'm not talking about marginal issues like should we allocate 5% more resources to education and 10% less to defence; or should we increase taxes by 3% or cut them by 2%; or should we say "sorry" to Aborigines; or should we have somewhat tougher greenhouse gas targets?

I mean really core changes.

What would you do differently?

Regard these questions as being directed to you too, DEMOS.

Hmm core changes,

Basically what I would like to see is a change of attitude. I want to see a government that isn't dedicated to hiding from the people who elect it. I want to see a government that plans for the long term rather than for the electoral cycle.

Yes Australia is a small player in the international scene, however we have been at the forefront before, leading the way in a whole range of areas, I want to see the country recapture that spirit. As it stands now we have become content to be followers "sheep" as DEMOS would put it.

Thats the core change I want to see. If we can change to being doers instead of followers, then other things can follow.

James Purser,

With respect, if I were making long term plans for Australia here are SOME of the things I'd be thinking.

This madman, Bush, is going to invade Iraq. I don't want to do this. But we're a small isolated country. We may need US help one day. Perhaps I need to go along.

On the other hand, maybe I can't rely on the US. I need an equaliser if things get nasty in this region. I'll buy a reactor for Lucas Heights so that I can keep a a team of nuclear scientists in being. I'll think in terms of developing a nuclear power industry on the basis of fighting global warming. That way I can become a "virtual" nuclear power like Japan. We can develop and deploy nukes faster than a threat needing them can develop.

These guys keep nattering about abandoning the US alliance and cosying up to the Asian nations. Don't they realise the Asian nations will never accept us as one of their own. Hell, they don't even accept each other much.

Global warming. Let's suppose it's true. Do these people think the big emitters, the US, Europe, China, India, are going to cancel even one coal fired power station to avert droughts in Australia? We're on our own here. We'd better adapt to the inevitable.

Indonesia has 10 times our population. Right now it's growing like gang busters. Could it one day be a threat? It's a Muslim nation. Could it become infected with a Jihadist ideology? What a nightmare. A powerful Jihadi nation right next door. Let's make sure we have a strong military.

What do I do if China threatens Taiwan with invasion. Do I back the US if the Chinese decide to invade?

And so on.

We in a dangerous world James. Foreign policy is, in part a poker game. There are no easy answers.

Guess what James? I think most of the electorate understand these equations. We collude in our own deception so we can get on with our own lives.

Steve,

I don't want Australia to abandon the US alliance, I want Australia to not blindly follow. There is a difference.

You say our biggest threat is to the north, Indonesia, the worlds most populous muslim nation. If war was to break out between Australia and Indonesia (and I hope to $DEITY it doesn't) the key question is who would the US support? Indonesia is also an ally of the US.

As to global warming, I really don't see the "the others won't so we shouldn't" argument being anything but childish. It ignores so many other factors such as energy security and simple pollution control.

And do you really want a nuke race in the region? Asian nations are nervous enough about Japans tentative moves towards rescinding their post defeat constitution which forbids anything more than a "self defence force" can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if our neighbours thought we were looking for ways to arm up? Look at Israel and Iran, for years Israel has been accused of possessing nukes, so Iran is now looking to even up the ledger.

James,

I did not say our biggest threat to the North was Indonesia. I do say we have to plan for the CONTINGENCY that it could become a threat and, incidentally, that the US could decide to leave us to our fate.

The planning needs to be done by stealth so as to avoid spooking people too much.

I did not say we should do nothing about global warming. But we do need to accept that our ability to influence others is nil so we have to plan for the CONTINGENCY that global warming will continue. That is not doing nothing.

Iran's nuclear program, which goes back decades, has little to do with Israel. Iran lives in a dangerous part of the world and is mostly concerned about nuclear armed Pakistan and what could have become a nuclear armed Saddam.

It is no secret that Iran's arch-rival in the region, Saudi Arabia, has invested heavily in Pakistan's nuclear program. Saudi Arabia may already be a virtual nuclear power.

The irony is that Iran seems to have purchased much of its nuclear technology from Pakistan's AQ Khan network!

I do not want to start a nuclear arms race in our region; but one may already be under way. Pious hopes about the NPT notwithstanding, the nuclear genie seems to be out of the bottle.

What should Australia do if China threatened Taiwan with invasion and the US decided to help the Island resist? Whatever you think, you could not go public about your decision ahead of time.

Is Taiwan itself preparing a nuclear deterrent? Perhaps they're buying technology from Israel with the US turning a blind eye. I know Taiwanese engineers were involved in South Africa's nuclear program.

It's a dangerous world out there. Political leadership is not for naïve do-gooders. Fortunately in Australia we've been blessed with having some cunning bastards as PM. I have no doubt Rudd would prove to be an even more devious, conniving SOB than Howard which is a relief.

IF YOU WANT PEACE PREPARE FOR WAR (Vegetius, Roman strategist)

This time I'm putting my bets on John Howard. I don't want him to win, but at least, if he does win, I can wake up in the morning with something to smile about.

Its not an Opera, its a circus. Opera has class.

Saintfletcher

If you want to bet on Howard you can get the coalition at $2.50 on betfair.com. That's up from $2.44 yesterday.