In the first Intelligence Squared debate of 2011, six heavyweights of Australia’s political firmament gathered at the Melbourne Town Hall and argued for and against a proposition of high relevance at a time of sound bytes and minority government. The proposition was that ‘Both major parties are failing the Australian people’. Watch the video or listen to the audio of Carmen Lawrence, Greg Barns and John Hewson arguing in favour of the motion, while Helen Kroger, Shaun Carney and Penny Wong argue against it.