For many Australian’s, the level of political discourse during the election campaign has been a lamentable shame on our country. People are complaining more and more that the overriding modus operandi of political parties is to lambast their opponents until they are simply too degraded to be electable. Or if you’re Clive Palmer, it largely revolves around making wildly baseless claims of your impending success, or claiming Richard Murdoch’s wife is a Chinese spy.  

However, don’t despair just yet, because Australia tends to take a leaf out of the American campaigns, and that means we have still got a long, long, longggggggggggg way to fall. Just refer to the campaign material of Republican candidate in San Francisco John Dennis. From showing his opponent as a zombie queen who controls hordes of mindless undead (read "voters"), or just pretending she’s the wicked witch of the west from The Wizard of Oz, this guy takes campaigning to a laughably low level.

Perhaps it was desperation (He was campaigning in a seat where he had no hope, and finished with a mere 15% of the vote compared to his opponents 80%), perhaps it was the inner artist emerging of a man who’d repressed his real self for too long. All in all until we see Tony Abbott lampooned as Jaws terrorising the island nation of Australia (Have that for free Labor), the worst is yet to com

Whilst I say we haven't quite gotten to the slums of a Dennis campaign, we do have some heroic trailblazers intent on dragging us into the mire. Look no further than Larry Pickering. Cheers Larry, I've always thought there was something off about Christine Milne. You've helped me realise it's her role as gypsy fairy queen! 

Tom Camp