The interviewers seem to be more interested in catching the politicians out on some minor detail, rather than asking about the issues important to Australia’s future.

We have to be grateful that we do have elections and that we don’t have the violence we read about in some other countries but this must take the prize for being the least interesting, at least in my lifetime.

My first political interview was before I was old enough to vote and since then I have been a keen observer, on the periphery of politics, through dozens of elections.

This included interviews with some leading communists in the days when communism was the big fear.

Although I never agreed with their one-party system, those communists certainly gave me things to think about.

They were radical thinkers.

Past elections have been interesting because media people knew the candidates, people who were always locals and had been active in charity work or local councils.

Then, gradually, the local party branches began to lose interest – and lose members – when the head offices of the parties started to make all the decisions, including who would or would not stand for election.

They provided us with people who promised to do what the party told them.

Today, we have a choice between people who let their party decide what they will and will not support.

There is no place for the eccentric who comes up with radical ideas, such as limiting the sale of our finite minerals or building infrastructure for future generations or a fast rail service between the capital cities.

The parties’ head office decision makers fear any idea that might give the opposition any ammunition, no matter if the idea is a great one or not.

To hear the debate so far in this election one would think the only subjects worthy of debate are work choice, insulation and boat people – and it’s boring, boring, boring.

The hardest part for the voters is in trying to stay awake.

Yet, according to scientists, our world is facing serious problems if we don’t make some big decisions soon.

I heard an expert only last week talk about Australia’s diminishing wildlife and the damage being caused to our ecology generally but our politicians can’t seem to think beyond incorrectly installed home insulation.

Thank goodness this election campaign is going to be a short one.