A callow call for compassion

OK. Week two (hundred). It seemed like a good idea to do this section at the time.

We’re not naive enough to think compassion has much of a place in an election campaign. In Australia and around the world, those days are long gone, if they ever existed in the first place. But there’s no doubt that the temperature is rising on #AusVotes25.

Battleground electorates are living up to their billing, as signage is defaced with nuanced and well-informed terms like “communist” and “fascist”. It makes Monique Ryan’s husband removing a campaign sign look positively pacifist in comparison.

On a national level, Labor has settled into a rich seam of personal attacks on opposition leader, Peter Dutton. This was evident in the first Leaders’ Debate, held in Sydney this week, where the Prime Minister responded to tough realities on cost of living by attempting to discredit the messenger.

It may be effective, but as The Australian’s Dennis Shanahan points out, there is a fine line to walk before voters begin to tune out and turn off.

All is not lost on the humanity front, however. The news that Peter Dutton’s father suffered a heart attack shortly before the debate brought genuine concern from all sides of politics and the media. 

The fact that an agreement was made between the two leaders that the issue not be mentioned during the People’s Forum comes as no surprise.

More of this would go a long way.