That is, how can they be allowed to make such exaggerated and inflammatory statements, and promises, as if there will be no consequences?

It seems that election “promises” are now generally accepted as meaningless.

 The electorate now seems to expect that “election commitments” will not necessarily be delivered.

Surely, this makes a farce of our democracy? It surely poses the question as to why standards and regulations that are enforced on most of us in our daily lives are not enforced on our politicians.

For example, there are “truth in advertising” laws, which prevent companies and individuals making false and misleading claims about their products and services.

Similarly, there are very stringent rules in business against “false and misleading” conduct.

The bottom line is that we don’t actually know how our education and health systems, infrastructure and a host of other issues, will be addressed and dealt with in the years to come.

We are just left to accept that, somehow, they will muddle through. But, this leaves us as a nation, way short of our true potential.

Recently we have seen the Naplan results, concerning our school standings, with key results in literacy and numeracy just flat lining. This should be of great concern. 

Obviously, it is of great concern that our education standards are not improving, but I am even more concerned that the achievement of scores has become the end in itself, not really about the quality of the education.

The whole Naplan process is now at the expense of creativity, individualism and what I would call good teaching.

The score justifies the means, and the richness and diversity of our nation is the loser.

So, too, for all the other key policy areas.

Politics today is little more than a media game – a contest to win the media on a daily basis, with little or no concern about the major challenges confronting or economy and our society.

Hence the players in the game simply say or do what is required to win, without care or accountability.

The situation has gotten progressively worse over the last couple of decades, with the major parties reducing their “policies” to little more than slogans/sound bites/dot points, designed to capture headlines, with little or no commitment to deliver. 

The minor parties and independents have become ever more populist, seeking to excel in the daily game, but knowing that they will never actually be accountable, as they will never be in government.

Totally unconstrained, but with no responsibility.

So, in the end, issues and policy challenges are simply left to drift – our schools and hospitals are in decline, the big ones, like climate change and budget repair, simply don’t get answered.

Is it any wonder that a Donald Trump can appeal, even with some of the most outrageous and irresponsible statements and commitments?

Surely, Trump is the most scary of candidates to ever appear, yet he is resonating with key constituencies.

People have been so disappointed by successive political leaders that even Trump seems worth a chance.

John Hewson