“Here is such patchery, such juggling and such knavery!” – Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida

Twelve days to the election. The noisome business of politicking continues apace: a vile trade combining the least savoury qualities of pandering, pimping, trulling, drug-pushing, and second-hand car salesmanship. They wheedle and flatter, they cozen and they cog, these would-be Machiavels and pretenders to the purple.

Already, ACT Labor has run a scare campaign against the independents, while Labor MLAs and their partisans have made hay with a book that shadow attorney-general Peter Cain wrote some twenty years ago, and whose views he repudiates.

Now, ACT Greens candidate Harini Rangarajan has been videoed removing Canberra Liberals MLA Ed Cocks’s flyer from outside a house and replacing it with her own. “A poor judgement call,” Ms Rangarajan said. We shall not disagree.

Did Greens or Labor supporters have a hand in overturning and defacing Liberals’ corflutes (including those of Mark Parton MLA) in recent weeks? It was “one of the worst cases of corflute vandalism ever seen,” according to one Liberal long-term volunteer. Retired Labor MLA Joy Burch said: “This is outright awful. Regardless of where you sit on the political fence, there is no place for this.”

The Canberra Liberals launched their election campaign on Saturday, attended by the last Liberal Chief Minister, Kate Carnell, and former Senator Margaret Reid AO.

Chief minister Andrew Barr claimed that the guest list included Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison, and Zed Seselja, who loom large as bogeymen in the Labor imagination. None of those gentlemen were present. But, as a Liberal insider said: “[Labor] are just trying to attack Elizabeth Lee by comparing her to conservative white men in the party.” Ms Lee, a Korean-born woman, supported the voice referendum, the voluntary assisted dying bill, and went to COP26 in Glasgow.

Mr Barr has criticised both the ACT Greens and the Canberra Liberals for failing to have a single election commitment formally costed by the ACT Treasury, which he says “provides a level of transparency and integrity”.

Is the Liberals’ “failure” to do so, Mr Barr demands, “a tactic to hide the true costs of their proposals … or yet another demonstration of their ineptitude”? He is less scathing towards the Greens, the partners of his Labors; his rebuke is mild: their omission is merely “disappointing”.

Parties have until Friday to submit commitments to be costed. “Given this is now only six days away, it is clear that Canberrans will not get the opportunity to properly understand the true costs of Liberal and Green election commitments,” Mr Barr – who is also treasurer – said.

Anyone expecting honest political discussion should shun Reddit Canberra, that hissing, shrieking flock of Stymphalian birds, where posts criticising the government or supporting Liberals or independents are shot down with a volley of downvotes and a brazen din of castanets.

And to think we must needs go through all this again – the endless empty, windy promises … for the moon, the lying, the cheating, the dissembling, the scandalmongering and muckraking – for the Federal election next year. Already the ACT Greens have started trying to tar ACT Labor for federal Labor’s coal-mine policy. Will Katy Gallagher once more have her van parked outside the Greens office? Will Advance Australia play fair?

Confound their politics, frustrate their knavish tricks!

For those who can still stomach the rank and greasy stews of electioneering, here are the last three days’ political commitments.

ACT Greens: Mountain biking

The ACT Greens would commit $1.2 million to enhance mountain biking trails and support volunteer trail builders. This includes $800,000 for new trails at Stromlo Forest Park and $400,000 for community groups building and maintaining trails.

The Greens say the initiative would support Canberra’s growing mountain biking tourism, valued at $30 million annually, and prepare the city for the international Sea Otter 2025 event in Mogo. The ACT Greens say they aim to make Canberra Australia’s mountain biking capital, benefiting locals, tourists, and competitive riders.

ACT Labor: Public service

ACT Labor promises to continue growing the public service, and not privatising or outsourcing essential services.

Labor states that it has strengthened the ACT public service, improved worker safety, insourced thousands of healthcare jobs, and implemented industrial manslaughter laws.

Labor accuses the Liberals of privatising public assets, cutting services, and planning public service cuts due to revenue shortfalls.

Canberra Liberals: Business and tourism

The Canberra Liberals announced a business and tourism package aimed at reducing ACT Government taxes and charges, and increasing tourism and business activity.

The plan includes capping commercial rate increases at 2.2 per cent; reducing the payroll tax rate from 6.85 per cent to 5.45 per cent for wages up to $5 million; introducing deregulation measures; abolishing the City Centre Marketing Improvement Levy; a “Canberra Created” grants scheme to encourage buying local; and a Business Continuity Guarantee to support businesses affected by delays in public works projects. The Liberals also propose reducing liquor license fees for small venues; incentives for live performances (subsidising artists booking fees); and allowing small retailers such as bookstores and bridal boutiques to serve alcohol and hold small events.

The Liberals state that increases to commercial rates of 8 per cent annually, the highest payroll tax rate in the country, and red tape limit businesses’ growth and success.

The tourism package includes constructing a new city stadium and convention centre; continuing to redevelop the Canberra Theatre; hosting the Supercars Championship at EPIC; establishing a $1.5 million events attraction fund; $4 million in grants for wineries, breweries and agricultural businesses; an additional $5 million to improve or build outdoor tourism facilities in parks and bushland; and invest an additional $4 million dollars over the next two years to attract more visitors and extend overnight stays in Canberra.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr claims that the Liberals’ policies would reduce revenue and deteriorate the budget position.

Canberra Liberals: Belconnen and Kurrajong

The Canberra Liberals have announced a plan for Belconnen and the Ginninderra electorate which includes rejuvenating Fraser Oval with a new irrigated sportsground, redeveloping Mckellar shops and Kippax Fair, building a new Northside Hospital and a better walk-in centre in West Belconnen where GPs would work with nurses. They would also improve Holt cricket ground, convert MacGregor’s concrete pitch into a synthetic one and refurbish the nets, and undertake a noise and traffic study on Southern Cross Drive.

In Kurrajong, the Liberals would refurbish and repave Manuka, Kingston, Narrabundah and Dickson shops, and build new public toilets at Downer shops. The electorate would share in $4 million grants to prevent community crime, for projects such as security lighting, fencing, and graffiti prevention. The Liberals would build a better walk-in centre in the Inner South where GPs will work with nurses, and promise to address traffic congestion and a lack of parking.

Independents for Canberra: Culture

Independents for Canberra commit to create a Canberra Festival that creates new opportunities for local artists; build a multicultural centre for large events; and establishing a Night-Time Economy Commissioner to reinvigorate Canberra’s nightlife.

In the ACT, per-capita capital expenditure on arts and culture has declined from a high of above $60 in 2010-11 to less than $20 in 2021-22, the Independents say. Their aim is to make Canberra a creative hub, and improve social cohesion and reduce loneliness.