He is probably right. There has been a growing tendency for unelected powerbrokers in both major parties, federally and in the states, to try to manipulate the way we are governed.

It's bad enough with all the high pressure lobbyists who are paid big money to influence government decision making, although they do play a part in presenting politicians with information that might help them make decisions, but the unelected political power brokers can decide who will make those decisions.

NSW politics is a real mess because of the power brokers.

The Liberals are almost unelectable because they are controlled by extreme right wing manipulators who seem to be influenced by some strange religious groups and spend most of their efforts in fighting each other, rather than working for the betterment of the State.

It's a pity that the Libs have sunk so low because the voters of NSW have so little to choose from, a self-imploding Liberal Party or a self-important Labor Party that is under the control of its own head office and has been in power far too long.

There's another worry and it applies also to Federal politics. That is the decision making that goes on behind closed doors.

I believe that Labor insists that any candidate standing for election has to sign a document that he or she will support any decision made by the party. I don't know about the Liberals and Nationals but they have publicly condemned as traitors anyone who questioned party room decisions.

Surely this is against the whole concept of our type of government. We should elect our local representative to attend parliament, be it in Sydney or Canberra, to listen to debates on all issues and then vote accordingly once they have heard all sides. Other politicians, even from the other side, might present facts that change their thinking.

The whole idea of parliament is to listen to debates and then vote - not vote first and then have sham debates in the House.

In Australia these days we have the reverse of what democracy is supposed to be about. The word 'democracy' means 'rule by the people'. Unless we are very careful that can so easily be lost.

NSW is a good example of what can happen when unelected powerbrokers are allowed to exert too much power.