Logical Fallacies

In order to push the public to accept their policies，Howard，Beazley and Hanson use a technique called“logical fallacies”or unwarranted extrapolation.In this technique the speaker makes quite spectacular predictions about the future，based on only a few minor facts.It is also one of the most common techniques used in the three speeches.For example，in his speech Howard ties the future of the Australian nation to the GST.

It［the taxation system］is failing the Australian community and unless it is renovated and changed we cannot deliver a stronger Australia for the 21st Century...because it will bring massive relief to many of our farmers and many of our fellow Australians who live in the bush.It will take$3.5 billion off the cost of fuel in this country...（it）will also enable us to reach our dream，our goal，of becoming a major financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region.

A GST will enable Australia to become a major Asia-Pacific financial centre？Such a claim is overly simple，and pays scant attention to hard economic facts and realities.It is in this way that speakers use the logical fallacies technique in their efforts to gain popular support.

The opposition also employs the same tactics：

...that Australia will be the one with a Labor Government.Historians 50 or 100 years from now will write of this last election of the 20th Century as a contest between a vision for the whole nation，and a plan for a tax.

It goes without saying that 50 or 100 years from now，historians may not consider that Labor's plan was a“vision for the whole nation”.

Political scientists refer to such predictions as logical fallacies，and warn that they must be used with caution.It is interesting to note，however，that this technique is freely used in Australian political discourse，without much regard for such warnings.