IF you are feeling this election campaign is going on forever, you are not alone.
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Arguably this has been a three-month election unofficially declared in early April when the government brought forward the budget to enable it to call a double dissolution election on July 2.
From speaking with many politically engaged people there is annoyance and frustration – not to mention boredom – at the prospect of endless weeks of tiresome promises, counter-promises, accusations and the rest.
And then there is the vast majority of people for whom politics is mostly an inconvenience and most politicians are seen in the same unfavourable light.
These people cannot be impressed by being dragged to the polls after three months of endless campaigning which presumably means we’ve lost out on three months of politicians actually getting on with their jobs.
This interminable election is treating the electorate with contempt and this situation should never be repeated.
The federal parliament is in sore need of the same reform recently applied to the Queensland parliament: fixed four year terms with one addition: a maximum 30 day election campaign.
Having said all that, there is a campaign event tonight in Mount Isa which did have the potential to be lively and instructive.
Earlier in the week we learned that Sky News were coming to town and would conduct a live broadcast in Mount Isa featuring a debate between the three leading candidates for the seat of Kennedy: Bob Katter (KAP), Jonathan Pavetto (LNP), Norm Jacobsen (ALP).
The presence of Mr Katter alone seemed to promise it would be far more interesting than the dull tit-for-tat affair served up by Mr Turnbull and Mr Shorten last Sunday.
Except it seems Mr Katter has squibbed.
The format will now be Mr Katter by himself for 15 minutes followed by a debate between Mr Pavetto and Mr Jacobsen.
While I understand the incumbent has most to lose in these debates, this news is disappointing.
It didn’t take long for his opponents to ask what he was afraid of, and in truth, it is a bad look. I urge him to reconsider before 9pm tonight – DB