When it comes to politicians, and journalists for that matter, Australians have been a cynical bunch since day dot. 

We’re used to hearing about “fibbing pollies” and the “chattering classes” have always been removed from the “real world”. 

But something has changed.

You see it abroad in Brexit and in Trump and you see it here Saturday’s still-uncertain election result.

It seems the political class and the press pack which follows them have never been further removed from “ordinary people”.

Over the last several weeks I hit the road in central Victoria to speak to everyday folk about the issues which mattered to them. 

Some answers were hyper-local, like improving footpaths and pedestrian safety in Axedale to getting a skatepark in Newstead. Some topics were regional – like gaining World Heritage status for the central goldfields or reviving our rail network. 

Some were national, like recognising gay marriage. Others were global, like climate change and refugees. There were issues around inter-generational poverty, providing opportunities for rural youth and mental health and other forms of support for farmers. The topics raised were diverse. In fact, just about the only thing which seemed to unite them was that they weren’t the same issues the country’s top politicians and flagship media programs seemed to be concerned about.

Despite being the longest campaign in more than 50 years it seemed to me there was less conversation about the future direction of the country than ever before.

There were policy proposals from the major parties – Labor trumpeted 100 ‘positive policies’ and the Coalition had its business tax cuts. And there were differences, negative gearing and industrial relations among them. 

But what dominated the “narrative” was scare campaigns, “mediscare” from Labor and from the Liberal’s, “illiterate immigrants” who would somehow manage to both take our jobs and languish on the dole.

The media, meanwhile, seemed mainly focused on internal squabbling between factions and trying to embarrass politicians for not being able to explain the minute detail of policy outside their portfolios. 

It’s no wonder “ordinary Aussies” don’t feel like politicians and the media are talking about the issues that matter to them.

It seems no one has bothered to ask them. 

– Joseph Hinchliffe, reporter