Leaders baulk at call to face public forum

The Advertiser: Leaders baulk at call to face public forum : "Premier Mike Rann yesterday rejected an invitation from The Advertiser to attend a People's Parliament, while Opposition Leader Rob Kerin did not commit."

Leaders ought to be able to think on their feet. Leaders ought to be able to discuss intelligently on the spot. Our economy has trained them to be an image, to have spin, that nothing is more important than the slogan, the jingo and the one right thought which can be expressed in one sentence. I understand why they have declines. One false move and they could see themselves lampooned, crucified and ripped aprt in the media for weeks to come. It could mean the end of their career. When we are adult enough to let people tlak openly and honestly, when we are not coing to massacre them because we didn't like a gesture, a shirt, a hand movement, epithet, opinion...when the rules are about decent, open discussion, then I think we'd move far forward and our leaders would breathe a sight of relief. The other problem , of course, is out in the open, they are a target for nutters. So...what about an online forum and some of the questions could be prepublished? Pretty sad when we, as a community just can thrash things out...but the walls have ears and we have seen enough people meet an early demise.