If a law can punish conduct that causes a “reasonable person” to feel intimidated or fearful, then speech is no longer judged by intent or action, but by perception.
With apologies for the grammatical indulgence in the title, but really, is anyone truly surprised by the haplessness of the Liberal and National parties?
It was all so predictable.
It gives me no pleasure to remind readers that a decade ago, I forecast a future Liberal Party, populated by midwits and journeymen, torn apart by Leftist appeasement and a total lack of conviction.
The campaign slogan should read "We're slightly less bad than the other mob and we'll manage the national decline slightly differently!"
Today's Liberal Party is filled with warriors of every stripe except those with Menzies vision and commitment. Instead, we have gender warriors, rainbow warriors, green warriors, rent-seeking warriors and egotistical warriors.
They are all fighting for their tribal identity instead of for the national interest.
The Nats aren't much better.
They are trapped in a crisis of survival as One Nation rips the heart out of their electoral base.
Barnaby Joyce knew this, and now I suspect some of his former colleagues can see the writing on the wall as well.
Of course, I'm not alone in my prediction of this moment, and Joyce isn't the only other one either.
A succession of seasoned politicians who also saw the future have left the Coalition ranks after being derided by the 'wise heads' in the (former) Coalition and lampooned by the media.
Some are now writing for Confidential Daily - people like George Christensen and Craig Kelly are just a couple.
We've all been on a political journey and, independently, concluded that the Liberal and National Parties are as useless as a chocolate teapot.
The Polls make it clear that plenty of other people have come to that conclusion.
The real political winner of that disaffection has been One Nation, but the primary beneficiary right now is Anthony Albanese.
The useless Libs and Nats have given the Prime Minister a free pass and the country is the loser as a result.
Alas, the Noalition haven't hit rock bottom yet.
That will come when the National Party disappears, swallowed up by the plain talk of One Nation. That will set the Liberals off in pursuit of their rainbow inner-city mirage, chasing voters who will never back them in.
That's how I see One Nation eventually becoming the official opposition in this country and, hopefully, taking the reins of government.
I say hopefully because the country desperately needs a different policy approach rather than the same political tag-team intent on power without glory.
Only time will tell whether I've got this one correct as well.
Thought for the Day
"If politicians continue to promote separatism in Australia, they should not continue to hold their seats in this parliament. They are not truly representing all Australians, and I call on the people to throw them out." Pauline Hanson
Cory Bernardi is the author of seven books and has been a member of the Australian rowing team, a publican, an investment portfolio manager and spent nearly 14 years as an Australian Senator.
