Madonna King comments in the Brisbane Times (22.6.16) on the prominence in federal election campaign rhetoric of ‘fear’ and ‘division’, rather than ‘vision’ espoused by aspiring political leaders and representatives.
‘Sometimes it takes an 11-year-old to nail it. “Why are the politicians saying bad things about the other side,” my daughter asked yesterday, “and not saying what they would do?”
‘It’s because fear works. Fear that Medicare might be sold, despite assurances it won’t be. Fear that asylum seekers are holding secret parties, gearing up for a Labor victory. Fear that a slip of the tongue will turn an avalanche of voters.
‘ … Fear and hate, not vision or even substance, are now the core motivators of our political campaigns. And they are both such loathsome time wasters.’