The policy differences between the two sides of politics are disappearing by the day. Labor goes tit with a promise to be fiscally conservative like the Coalition, so the Coalition goes tat with its own version of an education revolution.

Tweedle Dee Rudd talks for months about global warming then Tweedle Dum Howard gives us an emissions trading plan to combat climate change. The trade union influenced lefties get some public support by saying our industrial relations policies are fairer than yours so the creatures of the bosses respond with changes to the law to take away some of the nasties. Now Liberals are going to show that their broadband plan is every bit as new and shiny as Labor’s.

What, we might well ask, is the difference between the incumbent and the alternative government apart from which set of politicians get to ride around in the big white cars?

Precious little when you start analysing the policies. What we are seeing in this campaign is safety first politics. Neither side dares to be different. If one gets a good idea the other copies it.

The bland sameness is enough to make an old fellow want to toss a coin to decide between voting for the Greens or Family First!