ABC’s Redcliffe candidate debate features only 2 of 9 candidates

Cartoon: By R May 

The ABC has staged candidate debate on the 7:30 report on the eve of the Redcliffe by-election, an idea that would normally offer an opportunity for voters to make a rational assessment of the talent available.  The unfortunate reality is that it only featured the two major party candidates.

There are nine candidates standing, seven of whom were ignored.

A fuller coverage of candidates and their opinions is here, and a full list of those standing can be found here.

Media outlets, which try to pretend that there are only two or perhaps three parties standing in an election, actually do a vast disservice to their viewers and readers as well as democracy in general.  The dismissal of views other than the accepted ones of the ruling class parties prevents voters from hearing many of the competing views available, thus perpetuating the Tweedledums Vs Tweedledummer system we have at present.

For libertarians, the candidate to vote for is Gabriel Buckley, who is endorsed by the LDP but is not listed under the party name owing to the lack of state registration in Queensland.