Aus federal election debate a travesty

I didn’t bother watching it, largely because I didn’t need to as I figured the outcome was a foregone conclusion, but have to say this is an amazingly disappointing election. It’s about popularity, not policies and any idea that either of these parties is being progressive is laughable. Now Labor has slid in the polls after a disastrous climate policy announcement, perhaps we’ll see some changes, but I don’t think anyone summed up the debate better than this morning’s Crikey:

More than ever, this election seems to be about two parties pretending to be politicians, rather than actually being them. They know what politicians do, and how they do it, and they’re mimicking it, but it’s unconvincing, a script read by poor actors with no insight into their characters or genuine feeling for their lines.

Last night’s debate was more of the same. Debate is a misnomer; this was a joint press conference, with no interaction beyond the handshakes at the start and the finish. Of course there was no “knockout blow” – the contenders stayed in their corners the whole time and swung haymakers in the others’ general direction.

So sad. Australians really deserve more than this election campaign. What’s one to do when the leaders are just dialing it in?