As we all beaver away, digging hard and deep in our chosen area of chemistry, we occasionally mumble and regret that the public doesn't understand our science. But how much do we understand the public? And that means that sub-optimal political decisions will continue to be made. Ben Selinger, author of Chemistry in the Marketplace and Why the watermelon will not ripen in your armpit, Council member of the Australian Consumers Association (publishers of 'Choice'), has been writing for the Canberra Times on matters chemical for 26 years (as a regular columnist for the last four) , is a consultant and feature writer for Burke's Backyard magazine, spends time in court as an expert witness, and has just completed a consultancy for PACIA, ACSPA, AVCARE and the Minerals Council (acronyms you should know, as chemists). All this provides enough experience for an interesting general talk.