The Great Debate

The hour passed really quickly so it was interesting and it has renewed my faith in Australian politics. We need to to this more often and I should like to think Mr. Howard would consider another debate and include Bob Brown because we really need to sort the climate policies details. For us it is a critical issue and the Greens are , and ought to be, far more practical and knowledgeable in this area. For us to come of age in this country , we have to be able to stage such debates as a matter of course, because this one was a good one . The journalists asked some really good questions. Really good. The two leaders had obviously taken this debate very seriously and had prepared very carefully and we actually got to hear the sorts of things we are left out of on a regular basis. Both the men took the debate in their stride and we were not patronised. I should like to hear another debate where they talk more of education and health strategies and we need to come back to that climate discussion. It's true that the person who does well in the debate does not necessarily win the election so there is more to our elections than thinking and discussing. I don't think we are ready to become a republic until we can take this issue of debating seriously and until we are prepared to keep asking our politicians to stand before us and articulate their views. It's not easy. They know one mistake and it'll be all over the press. I think we need to encourage them to adopt this approach. Dare I say I enjoyed it? They both made it interesting because they treated the whole thing and each other with respect. I value that and believe it's what we need.