Democrats wither

Posted by on November 5, 2007, 4:49pm, 322 views

The Australian Democrats are facing a wipe-out at the November 24, 2007 election. Maybe they’ll save a seat in South Australia, but it’s looking grim.

Politics has changed since Don Chipp founded the party in 1977. The Labor and Liberal parties have moved more towards the centre for starters.

The Democrats found a niche in the loony left, withstood a challenge from the Nuclear Disarmament Party, but haven’t survived the emergence of the Greens.

Maybe that’s why battling Senator Andrew Bartlett attacked Family First for daring to favor Pauline Hanson over him in a preference deal.

Preference swaps are part pragmatism and part principle. It’s hard to fault Family First on either count in relation to that decision.

Parties that criticise others over preferences are either jilted lovers or hypocrites.

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