The 2010 Federal election left Australia with a hung parliament. 2013 has brought into question the voting measuring methodology which has created a new parliament riddled with minor players hosting pet peeves.
Further, there has been little warm sentiment within the public for the incoming PM, with the closest praise being, “at least he’s not…”
It seems likely he must come in as one of the least liked newly appointed PM in Australian history.
All of which suggests something that no-one is talking about.
The Howard era left Australians despondent. Real dirty politics were played to keep in power, much to the cost of the average Australian. Many Aussies became concerned by the growing racism tone.
His exist was significant, losing even his local community, who once joined him for his morning jog.
He lost to a promise that proved to be empty. Rudd’s promise of change, modelled on an Obama styles approach.
Change did occur, of course, but it wasn’t what Australians wanted, in pace or results.
And then the turmoil really began.
Asylum seekers, climate change, resource taxes… These topics divided friends, proving to be as taboo as the traditional ‘religion and politics’ over the dinner table.
And now we have two strange elections under our belts and the general sense of disillusionment lingers.
What’s happening?
Media has played a role, feeding if not openly dictating political preferences. Politician, so the sentiment goes, simply waste oxygen on comforting fairy tales or childish negativity.
Australians have, through the last two federal elections, told our elected heads that we are not happy, but feel powerless in effective democratic portrayal of this.
Neither of the two major parties or the smaller siblings speak to, or for, the majority, however marginal. Worst than that, there are few distinctive differences between the major that align with many Australians.
We have a stalemate position without opportunity for resolution outside of the political arena. Without significant ideological overhaul, Australians will continue to scratch their heads and vote half-heartedly.
Without a new voice, the conviction to follow through and confidence to tackle short term disapproval while working on significant projects with positive outcomes for the public, this period of apathy will persist with all parties dated and impotent in the public eye.
It’s easy to blame on party unity, negative agendas played out by political leaders and the media, but at the end of the day the public votes. If the public see little point, their vote will be as chaotic as we have seen in recent years.
As I said prior to this election; no party will actually win, but will fail to a lesser extent to their competitor. Our new PM is just the lesser loser, stuck with an odd playground – little different, in reality, to the previous hung parliament.
No-one wins and we continue to lament until runners for parliament can catch up with the 21st century.
newanthropocene.wordpress.com 