I am reminded by recent events that we seem to living in interesting times. By which I mean, there is a greater uncertainty about a lot of what we once took for granted.

In politics, decades-old business-as-usual has been turned on its head, with two state governments being thrown out in their first terms. We have had multiple Prime Ministers and leadership challenges are more commonplace, with sometimes remarkably little regard for precedent.The recent backbench revolt against Tony Abbott only underscored the turbulence of the present era, contrasting as it does with the usual elitist nature of political assassinations.

Partly this is due to the (previously alluded to) 24/7 media scramble that we exist in, where news is both process and product, or neither. Partly it is the bland bullet-point political discourse that sucks any authenticity and vitality from what should be a genuine contestation of ideas.

Strangely enough, the times may well be suited to the rise of straight-talking nationalists with an authoritarian streak, not unlike that odious group who emerged in the 1920's and 1930's. It may not be fascism per se, but it will have democratic values and pluralism in its sights.