Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid

Tuseday, 26 November 2002

This is the basic message for Victorians from both sides of the current contest between Australia's most photogenic policy vacuum and Mr Robert Doyle. Steve Bracks proposes to calm our fears of international terrorism with new police powers along the lines of those already mooted for New South Wales, while Mr Doyle believes that we need to be equally concerned about those enemies of freedom and enterprise that have always lurked in our midst, the trade unions.

Unfortunately for Mr Doyle, his latest scare campaign has backfired with a few corporations saying that claims that they were put off setting up in Victoria by the state's industrial relations environment are quite simply untrue. Six major companies have demanded that their names be removed from the ads.

Meanwhile, the debate on substantive issues of policy remains so totally vacuous that it's no longer safe to walk along Spring Street unless you're wearing a space suit. In Victoria, no one can hear you scream.