“There's an old political slogan you might remember … the public get the politicians they deserve. Through all the political turmoil over the past decade I can't help but draw your attention to your own culpability.” - Alexander Downer
Did voters create the messy, polarised, hung parliaments of Australia? Is it our fault, rather than the politicians’, that six Prime Ministers have been unable to serve a full term in over a decade?
Fair enough, we want to hold our parliamentarians to high standards. We put them in the office and we can take them out if they don’t serve us.
But we’re not letting political leaders take risks or make mistakes without relentless criticism. Perhaps we are being too pessimistic too soon and that’s inhibiting good policy. Maybe we need to be smarter with how we cast our votes and more patient with our expectations of government.
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2019 IQ2: Debates
12 June | Stop Idolising Youth
27 August | Democracy (motion for debate coming soon)
23 October | Masculinity (motion for debate coming soon)
2019 Speakers
IQ2 values diversity of thinking. We invite guests with different ideas, political views, professions, ages and backgrounds. Line-ups are announced closer to each debate.
About Intelligence Squared:
IQ2 is the Australian arm of the international debate series, Intelligence Squared, which is also held in London, New York and Hong Kong. Speakers have eight uninterrupted minutes to share their ideas – a luxury in today’s fast paced media environment of 15 second grabs and political party spin lines. Help us shape our world with ethics and intelligence.
With thanks to our media partner The New Daily
