From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli

POLITICS has become too politicised is not an oxymoron. Politicians are more focused on staying-in-power than they are about serving the people. Their capacity to obfuscate — to duck-and-weave — to escape answering the difficult questions is outrageous. They are tactically shameless.

Politicians deserve respect. To demean them is counter-productive. It does nothing to advance the narrative and even less to achieving a desired outcome; however, politics and showbusiness are not for the faint- hearted.

Ask a politician to tell what they had for breakfast and they natter about the chicken sandwich they have planned for lunch!

Across the land there is an irrefutable fog of elector discontent. Victorian constituents are exasperated with both major parties. They are fatigued from seeing politicians affecting altruism while massaging their own egos.

Predictably, One Nation is polling at its highest level, ever – 15%. The Nationals have abandoned their commitment to net zero, and likely the Liberals will follow. While Barnaby Joyce revels in his ability to create chaos, the far-right group, Advance, has — reportedly — surpassed 500,000 members. It continues to garner support. If our political incumbents dismiss this is a canvassing anomaly — another instance of voter aberration — they are delusional; even less informed than punters might have predicted of the electorate disappointment, and concerningly ignorant of their voter disengage.

A robust opposition is imperative for any successful government. To speak plainly: voters are back-teeth-grindingly-fed-up with the parlous state of affairs in Victoria; wearied of hearing the disingenuous, platitudinous banter: “We have to do better!”

It time for politicians to stop the childish squabbling and to concentrate on respecting the vote they have been gifted. More critically, allocating more time-and-effort to holding the government to account. The chaotic interaction between the federal Liberal and National Parties is concerning. While Liberal party Victoria will argue contrarily, there is osmotic collateral damage as a consequence of the infernal public infighting — state and federal.

There is a notion politicians are not listening, or responding, to everyday neediness. Their inability to effectively tackle disparity is fostering political cynicism. While Australia’s richest are immune — “politics favour the elite” — middle Australia is battling with basic living costs. For the majority of workers salaries have not kept pace with cost. There is a growing annoyance at the government’s seeming inability to protect living standards. The dwindling trust in institutions, and a certain pessimism about the future, is directly linked to economic pressures — the costs of health, housing, education, childcare, and national lawlessness. There is a pall of political volatility. Electors blame government choices for the failures in essential service delivery. Constituents are being rendered impotent to navigate their own course — exacerbated by political scandals and shenanigans.

Generational frustration is distressing. Gen Z and younger Millennials have an indifferent attachment to our established democratic process. They believe the political system does nothing to address issues which most affect their lives. Problems with climate change, housing, and job quality are shaping a generational layer of growing discontentedness.

When economic stress, obvious service failures, unpopular policy choices, and diminished institutional trust converge, political support vanishes. It is one of the amalgamations which explains why so many Australians are disenchanted with government.

Indefensibly — Labor Victoria squandered $600-million paying for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games!

Roland can be heard with

Brett Macdonald radio 3BA —

Monday 10.40am.

Contact: [email protected]