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Of much greater concern are citizens' anaemic level of confidence in the institutions of Churches, Unions, and Federal Parliament, receiving an abysmal 11%, 6%, and 6% respectively.
'It empowers negative campaigns, privileges sectional and special interests over the national interest … and confronts a conflict between long-run policy and the short-term tyranny of the polling and media cycle.'
Public opinion does not spring into life in one swoop. Its formation is a slow and contested process. Think of John Howard's campaign to change the GST.
Prime Minister Abbott's attempt to downplay the threat to world peace and security constituted by the actions of Islamic State constitutes a serious error of judgement.
Andrews comes from the Socialist Left with alleged ties to the militant CFMEU and unlike Bracks, who had a diverse background in business and teaching, Daniel Andrews' entire career has been as a staffer and party organiser.
The High Court decision 'overturns 90 years of Australian law, swinging the pendulum quite to the other end, in that it recognises that engaging in public debate is a public benefit in itself'.
In an open liberal democracy, there won't just be disagreement about strategies for achieving an aim, there will also be disagreement about what the overall aims ought to be.
De Blasio is not your typical democrat that we are used to viewing from the other side of the world; like Bill Clinton or Barrack Obama. Instead, he is a genuine progressive.
This ideal citizen assumes personal responsibility for guarding against the risk of victimisation rather than claiming their right not to be victimised.
We can be proud that Australians are so horrified by further revelations of horrific cruelty to our live exports. It shows us as the compassionate, caring people we are.
