THE Opposition Leader roadshow rolled into Bendigo yesterday and what followed was a demonstration of the state of politics in Australia today.About 100 environmental campaigners were waiting with what they described as a party outside Bendigo’s Capital theatre.Protesters were quick to tell the media that they were there to advocate for a price on carbon but would neither hassle nor block Liberal leader Tony Abbott – they just wanted to peacefully make their point.But Mr Abbott refused to pass by the group, instead entering in the back door.He later told the media he had entered that way because “my car drove up at the back. I got out and I walked in”.The Liberal Party is not alone in this tactic of avoiding people from the opposite side of a political issue.It is something that the two major parties are guilty of and for which they should be equally ashamed.The Opposition Leader was hosting a community forum, which was a community forum in name only.The invite-only event meant people wanting to attend the event but not on the organisers’s list were turned away at the door.Sure there were token representatives from sustainability groups but the bulk of the audience was elderly, unlike the majority of protesters outside.A genuine community forum would have opened the doors for anyone interested to attend.Surely if someone wants to lead the nation, Liberal or Labor, they should be open to hearing from all sides and not just those their party chooses to invite.