> how such a dismal political process has managed to consistently produce competent leaders I find this a strange comment. I find the Australian electoral syst

> how such a dismal political process has managed to consistently produce competent leaders I find this a strange comment. I find the Australian electoral system (if thats what you mean by political process) better than most of the other large western countries (USA, UK, etc.). As for the 'competant leaders' part - I'm not sure the leaders have much to do with Australia's success at all. Sure, the politicians do some good things, but also some pretty terrible things, just like most other western countries.... I think the economist article misses the point too of the natural wealth (not just minerals), and perhaps also a quite worldly attitude, being at the centre of Australia's economic success, rather than specific politicians...