The teeth of common sense need to be bared

There's a fixation by the media on politics as entertainment while politicians are fixated on the game of politics – winning at all costs. Rhetoric rules while logic, common sense and maturity suffers. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

When Tony Abbott was headlined for his "sex appeal" gaffe (as the media called it) I facetiously put out a release saying "Abbott should be killed and Paul Hogan should be burnt at the stake for saying 'she's a good lookin' shiela'". One regional newspaper actually ran that as fact – not understanding, or not wanting to understand, I was saying there are far more nationally important issues at hand.

Even when the media do run parts of my press releases about 'Bedrock Economic Policy' it's dressed up as part comedy to get a run. Journalists often tell me they have to beat stories up to get a run. Like most other Australians none feel job secure at the moment so they write to please.

Even the ABC presses comedy, send-up and comment more regularly into the news. The National Press Club invited me to debate Bob Katter and Clive Palmer in Canberra at a Press Club lunch. A Queensland election theme with Queensland characters debating from different points of view. The ABC, who run the national broadcast, insisted I be taken off the agenda. I wouldn't mind if Bob or Clive were talking about structural reform of our parliamentary democracy but they're not.

Is this the best we can do in terms of serious debate to better Australia?

Do a majority of Australians even care?

It appears not?

I've lost track of the number of times I've been asked as a Senator which seat I'm running for in Queensland. My favourite question from a regional journalist came after a half hour of explaining that all states have 12 Senators and why the founding fathers formed the Senate before the House of Representatives. I was then asked, "So you represent the whole state, I get that now, but what I don't get is what political party you belong to as an independent?"

Young people are extremely disengaged. They often say "why should I care when the Government doesn't care about me?" I ask them if they intend to build a house one day. Most say yes. I say when builders come to you and say "what kind of house do you want built?" always shrug and say you don't care. So when the house is finished, and you inevitably complain about the many design faults, always remember you have no-one to blame but yourselves because you didn't care.

Electing governments is like building your house – you should take special interest in all aspects of the build because you have to live with the consequences.

Political and business friends overseas told me from the start Australians are not yet ready for my message of quarantining 30% of long term vital Bedrock Economic Policy into a bipartisan, Australia friendly, anti-politician-tampering structure owned by Parliament. They said I'm two elections too early. They told me Australians have never really suffered like the rest of the world so won't wake up to the precariousness of their long term future until they do suffer.

My overseas friends use national anthems as an example. Ours is about geography and topography while most of theirs are about suffering, oppression, war, genocide and revolution.