Real Politics vs Fake Politics: Is Democracy Working the Way We Think It Is?

Every election, we're told the same thing:

"Your vote matters."

And it does.

But perhaps not in the way many people think.

We get to vote for who forms government, yet once the election is over, ordinary Australians have remarkably little direct control over what happens next.

Politicians make promises.

Some keep them.

Many don't.

Manifestos change. Priorities shift. Projects blow out. New taxes appear. Old commitments disappear.

Yet unlike most workplaces—or even a courtroom—there is often no requirement to explain every broken promise or face immediate consequences for failing to deliver.

That raises an uncomfortable question.

Is democracy simply about choosing who gets power, or should it also be about holding them accountable while they have it?

The Difference Between Real Politics and Fake Politics

To me, real politics isn't about left versus right.

It isn't Labor versus Liberal.

It isn't personalities, slogans or who wins Question Time.

Real politics is about outcomes.

Did housing become more affordable?

Did the health system improve?

Did transport projects finish on time and on budget?

Did the cost of living become easier?

Did communities become safer?

Those are the questions that matter.

Fake politics, on the other hand, is the endless theatre.

Press conferences.

Political advertising.

Blaming the previous government.

Campaign slogans.

Opinion polls.

Social media arguments.

It's the performance of governing rather than the results of governing.

Promises Should Mean Something

Imagine applying for a job by promising you could do ten things.

You get hired.

Then you only do three.

In most professions there would be consequences.

Politics often works differently.

Election promises are powerful enough to win office, yet there is rarely a formal process requiring governments to explain why major promises were abandoned or significantly changed.

Circumstances do change, and governments sometimes face events nobody could predict. But when priorities shift, voters deserve clear explanations—not just at the next election, but throughout the term.

Where Does the Money Go?

Every election costs taxpayers millions of dollars.

Advertising.

Campaign staff.

Political consultants.

Mail-outs.

Television commercials.

Digital campaigns.

The question isn't whether elections are important.

They are.

The question is whether enough of that money is helping Australians understand policies—or simply persuading them through marketing.

Imagine if every political party had to publish a clear, independently costed four-year budget before election day, showing:

- What they plan to spend.

- Where the money comes from.

- Which promises take priority.

- What happens if costs change.

That would make it easier for voters to compare plans on substance rather than slogans.

Accountability Shouldn't Stop on Election Night

Our legal system expects people to answer questions.

Businesses answer to regulators.

Workers answer to employers.

Yet governments often have considerable discretion over how and when they respond to criticism, parliamentary scrutiny, or election commitments.

That doesn't mean democracy is broken.

It does mean accountability could be stronger.

Perhaps elections shouldn't be the only accountability mechanism every three or four years.

Maybe performance should be measured continuously.

Democracy Is More Than Voting

Voting is the beginning of democracy.

It shouldn't be the end of it.

Healthy democracies rely on informed citizens, transparent governments, independent institutions and meaningful accountability between elections.

If governments deliver on their promises, they deserve recognition.

If they don't, voters deserve honest explanations.

Time to Take Politics Seriously

Politics isn't a sporting match.

It's not about cheering for a team.

It's about whether decisions improve people's lives.

The cost of living.

Housing.

Healthcare.

Education.

Infrastructure.

Mental health.

These aren't campaign props.

They're people's everyday reality.

If we spent less time treating politics like entertainment and more time measuring outcomes, perhaps we'd spend less energy arguing about parties and more energy building a better Victoria—and a better Australia.

Because at the end of the day, democracy shouldn't simply ask us to choose who gets power.

It should ensure that everyone who holds power remains accountable for how they use it.