Authorised by a Parachute, a Roman Catholic Priest and an Ethnic Legal Practitioner

You may be aware that political parachutes, like journalistic ones, tend to have a divisive influence on the ground, and possibly even in the air, and on air.

Political factions often behave like packs of journalists.  They may even form decisive pacts from time to time, particularly through the power of groupthink.

In politics, as in journalism, groupthink is often mistaken for democracy.

The social conservatives in our party mostly acquired their beliefs as children.  They have not yet grown out of them.  A Roman Catholic priest continues to have a stranglehold over their mindset.

The ethnic diversity enclaves of our party either need our financial assistance or we need theirs.  We do not usually need their political assistance except at the ballot box in marginal electorates.

We can only give them financial assistance when we have political power.

Even then, we expect them to be grateful for any government assistance we are willing and able to give them.

There are already plenty of lawyers in the federal parliament, whether as parliamentarians, political advisors or public servants.

But what is real parliamentary diversity, and how can it be achieved?

And what is real political representation from the left and from the right?

Who really knows?