The politicians we deserve?

The recent letters criticizing our political system are interesting, but none of them seem to include any concrete suggestion for a better system than the one we have now.

Given that Australia ranks number two (behind Norway) on the United Nations Development Scale and number two (behind Switzerland) on the Credit Suisse Research Centre Wealth Scale, the present system seems to have served us well, and it would be hard to suggest that there is a better existing model anywhere in the world that we could adopt.

Perhaps, there are theoretical models for a Utopia that would look better on paper (the Communist system?) but experience suggests that extreme scepticism should be applied to any suggestion for radical departure from the model we know.

If there is a political problem in Australia, it is not a systemic problem but a function of the calibre of politician we have representing us.

However, the slightest consideration of political standards in other countries shows that this is virtually a global issue and has little to do with whatever political system applies.

If it is true that an electorate gets the government it deserves, it is obvious that our problem lies with the Australian voting public and not with the electoral process.

As long as voters are satisfied with empty sloganeering (long live our most loyal queen, Advance Australia fair) rather than reasoned analysis of issues, that situation is not going to change.

This is not to say that there are no details of the system that cannot be drastically improved.

One of the most obvious is the financing of electoral campaigns which are threatening to move very much in the direction of American-style advertising blitzes in which substance has been completely replaced by image-making.

This profitable trend is, of course, encouraged by the communications media that now dominates campaigning.

As an outcome of this, we have already reached the point where politicians are totally focussed on providing a daily sound-bite that will get them featured on television rather than on trying to present a rational argument.

Demosthenes and Otto von Bismarck wouldn't stand a chance against Tony Abbott in an Australian election.

Email, 6 Mar 2012 Bruce Hyland, Daleys Point