I observe the current election process and my heart weeps with pain and anguish for what could be - for what should be.

Where is the statesmanship? Where is the vision? Where is the desire to be fair, equitable and progressive - to do good and be good? Where are the promises to elevate this great country of ours to a place where we can all hold our heads high as a beacon to all nations of what can be done when good people of a like mind will it to be done?

All I see is a swarm of power-obsessed political attack dogs playing a life and death game of "gotcha". Trying to find the simplest and most innocent statement and latch on to it; leverage it; bleed it of all the probable innocence and reasonable intent that was meant when it was uttered. Attack dogs who swarm like vicious, marauding drooling killer animals ready to tear apart anyone who raises their voice toward progressive thinking or stands in their way toward political power - even eating their own breed if needed.

And then there is the media, who because of their insatiable news cycle, latch onto a person or issue and suck it dry of its humanity and balance. Each reporter seeking a more sensational story than the next - each looking for personal promotion and journalistic notoriety - all at the expense of the Australian democratic process and of the Australian idiom of giving people a fair go.

Australia is in a malaise - dominated by a rampant media, enfeebled processes, devoid of balance and fairness, yet over-represented by power-obsessed individuals who seek the political throne.

What we need is someone or something that will rekindle the light of  progress, fairness, balance, wisdom and justice. What we need is a Nelson Mandela or a Martin Luther King - but alas, all we have are the mere proletariat politicians of today with their short sighted, power-focussed and self interested motivations.

For the love of humanity, we need to lift our voices and demand something better - for all our sakes.

(Published The Age 10 August 2010)