Australian Politics of Disappointment. Why won't they trust us?

Anthony Abanese was Labor Membership's Choice as Leader

Australia has just had an election which was won by the Liberal Party, by one vote. Deeply divided within itself, this Party is unlikely to be able to work with the diverse New Senate it created with its Double Dissolution "tantrum". A chaotic time lies ahead!

"We could have won with Albo!" Wishful thinking, I know, but as a grassroots member of the Labor Party it's hard to get past this thought. If the Labor Party hierachy had heeded the wishes of its members and chosen the popular and respected Albanese as leader, we could well be in government now. Ordinary people might have hope for the future, with a leader who understood their struggle. Albo comes from a disadvantaged background himself (as described in a recent biography by Karen Middleton Telling it Straight). He might have been able to unite the disparate voices!

Instead, members were over-ruled in favor of Bill Shorten, who is simply not trusted by the electorate. People remember his machinations behind the scenes when two former Labor Prime Ministers (Rudd and Gillard) were deposed. So many friends told me they supported Labor but could not possibly vote for Shorten.

Hence the rush of voters to support Pauline Hanson, who at least seemed like a real person, albeit with some dangerous ideas. There is real desperation in the need for voters to have someone (or something) to believe in. We see this in the UK and US as well as in Australia.

Our lack of trust in our leaders comes from one simple fact. They don't trust us! Parties obviously don't even trust their members, leaving important decisions to an elitist few!

In the end we, the people, have the numbers, not the "numbers-men" of political parties. It is foolish to ignore us! 

Lucinda Sharpe