But, increasingly so since then, the ‘End Game’ of politics has become the ‘game’ itself. Increasingly, politics has attracted candidates who love the game and who are good at playing it, able to survive the factional tactics that dominate the pre-selection processes of most parties, and then seek to make their mark in parliament and the media by scoring points against, and shifting blame to, the other side. Or even, on occasion, their own side.

Our politicians have become increasingly self-absorbed, self-serving and entitled, increasingly putting themselves first, seeking to serve their own interests first, rather than to meet their responsibilities to those who put them there, the electorate. 

Unfortunately, this has not made for good government. While the focus has been on these short-term games, and on personal aggrandisement, problems and challenges have been left to drift, at best patched up, but essentially kicked down the road, for a future parliament, or generation, to deal with. 

Indeed, politics is now dominated by people who are good at the game, but poorly qualified to run the big portfolios of government. Many of our ministers have never held a ‘real job’ outside the game.

In all this, voters have been left behind, ignored, and otherwise disenfranchised, left struggling to get by in their daily lives, with little direction, security, or genuine help when needed. Is it any wonder that protest votes, especially against the major parties, have become an increasing and important feature of elections?

Today, for example, cost of living issues are dominating the minds of voters, and yet none of our political leaders are willing to genuinely lead on these issues, to begin by offering an honest assessment of the magnitude and urgency of the problems and challenges, and then to offer genuine policies in response.

Rather they attempt to spin, obfuscate and promise, when the electorate simply wants outcomes, and are increasingly judging politicians and political processes on this basis.

Enter Barnaby Joyce, widely hailed as “the best retail politician in the country”, mostly because of his success in playing the game. Yet, it is clear that he just doesn’t get it. His mishandling of his personal life, however you would judge that on moral grounds, has now focused attention on the weaknesses and failings of his performance as a politician, on his expenses, on his lack of transparency and accountability, on the extent he has wallowed in the system, to his own advantage, at the expense of the job he should have been doing.

Consistent with his image, and ignoring polls revealing some 65 percent of voters want him to stand down, Joyce is declaring, over and over, that he will tough it out, that his difficulties of recent weeks were just like a bad case of food poisoning that will pass. Don’t we understand? He is our Deputy Prime Minister! He believes he doesn’t deserve to be treated like this! It’s just a witch hunt!

When the system fails to deal, quickly, decisively, and effectively with a Joyce, it confirms all that voters feel is wrong with our political processes and governments. 

They will remember, as they struggle with increasing housing, childcare, medical, education, electricity, and other costs of living, with their wages flat lining, and mounting job insecurity.