Essay:On the Conduct of Australian Politicians

It can be said that the nature of the current political landscape in Australia is characterised, perhaps defined, by the vitriolic nature of what presently passes as debate and by the mediocre standard of the politicians that inhabit it. This is complemented by mis-information, fear-mongering and downright obstructionism as well as a chronic lack of concrete policy, particularly on the part of the conservatives. Such behaviour is a fairly recent development and is thoroughly counter-productive, by any measure, to the operation of a parliament.

Vitriol
Prior to the accension of Toby Abbott to the position of opposition leader in the Australian Federal Parliament, debate within said parliament was fairly reasonable and communications with the public were comparitively sane. This is not to say that it was an era of transparency and enlightened progress, but it was tolerable never-the-less. However, this all changed with Mr Abbott. To date, his tenure as Opposition leader has been characterised by un-dignified raging and hollering. This is perhaps best illustrated by his shouting within Question Time, something which has rubbed off on his Shadow Cabinet (reading Hansard is truly depressing, quite literally every second line is "honourable members interjected). Perhaps most disheartening of all is that the previously moderate Federal Labor have somehow come to the conclusion that the public favours this and has emulated Mr Abbott's behaviour.

A Lack of Vision
To be Completed