OPINION: No such thing as a safe seat in politics

All parties need to listen to the public in a constantly shifting political environment

BE PROACTIVE: Politicians need to work hard to gain the trust of the public. Picture: Rachel Lang

THE days of the two major parties dominating the political scene are not over, but they feel more threatened than ever before.

Barely a day goes by that One Nation is not in the headlines, for better or worse.

Our southern neighbours in New South Wales saw an unprecedented swing against the Nationals in the recent election, with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party taking three key rural seats.

Power can shift anywhere at any time, and in the lead-up to the Federal Election, this is something the major parties need to remember.

So when ALP candidate for Wide Bay, Jason Scanes, says now is not the time for complacency (page 4 of today's Chronicle), he is right.

But this is not only true of the LNP. Labor would do well to listen to its candidate ahead of the federal election, too.

It has become something of a cliche for members of the public to decry major parties for being untrustworthy and more interested in politics than people.

Cliched it may be, but all politicians would benefit from paying attention.

With a Federal Election looming, and the political landscape constantly shifting, no party can afford to become complacent.

Instead, they need to be proactive about gaining, and in some cases winning back the trust of the people.

This can only happen by delivering real change, not empty promises.

Voters can see right through the spin.