This will be my only Election 2010 post.

No doubt there’s a similar graphic about Julia Gillard doing the rounds, God knows she’s not perfect. But it doesn’t make this anti-Abbott poster any less true.

The fear tactics used by the Liberal party in this election campaign have been revolting. To prejudice a nation against “boat people” is utterly criminal – why don’t more people understand that it is against the law to turn away legitimate asylum seekers? Why don’t we bother to learn that 90% of refugees arrive by plane? Don’t fall for the catchphrases or his mythical “boatphone”. Such an invention wouldn’t work reliably under his broadband plan anyway.

The average Australian seems to think that we are being inundated with “queue jumpers” and that is entirely the fault of politicians like Tony Abbott, and to a lesser extent the other political leaders who are failing to correct him. I can’t help but notice that Julia Gillard is cashing in on this fear because it’s easier than correcting 22 million people who have been subjected to the rhetoric.

Whoever you vote for this Saturday, don’t base your decision on fear. Refugees are not terrorists. Our national debt is within entirely manageable levels. “The gays” are not destroying the Australian way of life, and the National Broadband Network isn’t being built to improve your Facebook experience. Both major parties have trivialised some of the really important issues at stake because they know that most of us have a short attention span. It’s worth knowing what a vote for these parties will really mean in the future.

Abbott has an election to win, at any cost, but liars make me angry. Don’t reward him for treating you like an idiot who won’t bother to learn the facts.