Being with so few (just over 20 million people) in such a large country (about the size of China) Australia can permit not to worry about too many compromises. I come from a small country in Western Europe where coalition governments always battle to get to some compromise. Shortage of space and natural resources makes planning and compromising a European sport. I am used to long discussions about everything, bringing all possible points of view to the table. Those who take part in the `nation-wide discussions` first try to convince the opponent that `he` or `she` is wrong but ultimately both parties aim to come to a compromise. It is like a marriage where you need to compromise to live together happily. In the past, when compromises were less `popular` and everyone was `talked-out`, it frequently resulted in large scale European warfare. Nowadays there is the European Union. Discussions can last for years and people never seem tired to discuss political matters with friends, on the street, on TV or at work.

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