We seem to be approaching that time in politics when any and every fantasy, half-truth and "core promise" will be peddled by politicians in order to win our support at the polls.
Labor and Liberal will use every trick they know to try to prove how different they are from each other.
They will attempt to convince us that they stand for the "battlers", the "mums and dads", "all of us", despite their policies systematically favouring a tiny minority — the rich and the powerful.
The big business supporters of the major parties — especially the media giants and advertising corporations — ultimately determine the boundaries of discussion during election campaign periods.
The views of progressive parties and candidates are unlikely to be given fair coverage in the newspapers and TV programs controlled by Packer and Murdoch. The media outlets they own will continue to do everything in their power to prop up the two-party system sham, while laying the blame for the social and economic ills of the country on unions, Aboriginals, migrants and single mothers, to name a few.
91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly sees things differently. This newspaper is committed to defending those who are used as scapegoats for the failures of whichever party is in government. Over the coming period of election hype, we will be covering the claims and counter claims that the major parties make.
The previous issue of 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly launched a new feature called Election Watch. This column, which will now appear semi-regularly, will probe into things said and done along the election campaign trail. If you come across any election campaigning facts, fiction, clangers or revelations, please send them in for Election Watch and held keep other readers informed.
For those who value knowing about where progressive candidates and parties stand on different issues, a subscription to 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly is indispensable. Perhaps this is the first issue of the paper you have read? Or maybe you have read the paper for some time but just haven't got around to subscribing? For first time subscribers, the $10 introductory subscription is an excellent offer. 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly—it's your paper.