Petty partisanship, political polarization and a poll-driven political culture are fuelling public angst about the state of Australia’s democracy. What’s to blame for this crisis of confidence in our politicians? And can it be fixed? Also in this edition of Between the Lines, Libya is splintering, with rival governments and parliaments, while Islamic State militants are taking over large towns.  Did the west help create this catastrophe by toppling Libya’s long-time dictator Moamar Gaddafi nearly four years ago.