JUST three days out from what looks like being the closest federal election for many years, and the party leaders have spent much of the past 48 hours debating whether to have a debate.
Such conversations typify this campaign, which will be remembered as the flattest, safest and most conservative from all concerned.
Save for some colour and venom from a ghost from the past in Mark Latham via his various media stunts, there’s been little else that stands out.
Perhaps in future we need to set an agenda that says to the major parties: this is what we, the Australian people, want from you.
And perhaps it is time that the Australian Greens were given a place in these so-called debates.
After all, ours is supposed to be a democracy, and while many Australians might not agree with the Greens, they probably don’t agree with much of what the major parties have to say, or not say as the case may be, either.
And if the major parties are fair dinkum about democracy and freedom of speech, they can hardly argue about having to share the stage with the third political alternative at a time when Australians want and deserve to be informed about the choices we face at the ballot box.
The Greens may never be in a position to win government on their own, but their influence over whoever does win cannot, and should not, be underestimated by anyone.
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