Bring back 'Difference of Opinion'

The ABC's Q and A's format has predictably resulted in deliberate search for Coalition supporters to achieve audience "balance".

The cause of this problem is the format of Q and A which is built around politicians of the major parties.

This is quite different from the predecessor program Difference of Opinion which was productive of a much greater panel variety than the sterile two-party context.

The idea of "balance" that Coalition supporters are always so concerned about for ABC programs, especially the Howard appointees, is a direct product of Australia's dysfunctional two-party system which itself lacks diversity.

The so-called "balance", between Government and Opposition, is itself an imbalance because of the lack of diversity in political representation, a direct consequence of Australia's undemocratic electoral system.

That system should be replaced by proportional representation used in a very large number of modern states.

Q and A now presents the same phony and boring adversarialism Australia's political establishment and the commercial media are engaged in on a daily basis.

It is still a mystery why the ABC shelved Difference of Opinion as this excellent program, presented by Jeff McMullen, was highly regarded by the public.

Klaas Woldring, Pearl Beach