I’m surveying how others feel about the situation of ‘politician bashing’ at the risk of voters missing out on what is really taking place? When I was an adolescent in the Menzies days, hearing what politicians had to say meant being informed. Maybe boring to some but to others interesting. My father George Polimeris told me that when you vote for a government it’s best to let them get on with the business while keeping a watchful eye on the progress. Election time was meant to be when the government was held accountable, unless in the meantime citizens need to take action because the government was creating HUGE problems for the country.
Over 40 years as an active ethnic community worker I’ve met prominent politicians from different political parties who have been extremely helpful to clear up problems for citizens even if these citizens weren’t their supporters. There have been countless decent politicians yet nowadays there is an eagerness to defame such people, call them terrible names, spread lies about them, ridicule them and begrudge any entitlements for their thankless hard work.  It’s a trend I’m disgusted with just as much as coverage of animal cruelty. As a citizen I want fair reporting of what politicians have to say and are doing, so I can chose. I don’t want to put up with insulting, attacking methods of false reporting. So I’ve taken to skimming over such expressions and often not taking notice of anything in that vein. How many of you feel the same about this terrible situation which if not tempered can lead to violent interference resulting in riots and coups like in some countries? Democracy surely means being honestly informed in order to make choices? The media and citizens are not interested in hearing about successful outcomes therefore giving dishonest information.
