The tone and tenor of Australia's public debate is something within the control of everyone participating: The candidates, the media, and the public. When campaigns descend into abuse, physical assaults, and petty personal attacks, it's an unfortunate mirror to the mind and heart of the nation.

Look at the reflection cast by the last few weeks of federal election campaigning, and parts of it are plainly hideous. More dispiriting still, in many ways this election has been uglier than past ones.

The examples overseas show that, beyond a certain point, it is hard to re-establish the basic rules of decency, truth and respect that should underpin democratic debate.

Two incidents this week made this much clear: Australia is letting the standard of its public debate slip.

One episode, after which a 24-year-old woman was charged with assault, was a disgraceful attempt to egg Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The second reminder of the depths Australia's public debate is finding was on the front page of The Daily Telegraph, in a tenuously-founded and vicious front page story targeting Opposition Leader Bill Shorten over his comments about his dead mother.

Every week since Mr Morrison called the election appears to have brought some new shame to anyone who cares about the standard of Australia's democratic process.

A man allegedly made intimidating comments to a journalist and assaulted a photographer after some robust and fair media questioning of Fraser Anning. Hyper-partisan trolls of both left- and right-wing political views have unloaded on journalists with tweets attacking them for doing their job of scrutinising those running for elected office.

If the tempo and content of this election have been downbeat and largely uninspiring, there is an anxious, emotionally supercharged quality to the contributions of its unaccountable, often anonymous, and cowardly keyboard "warriors".

Whatever anyone's opinion of its message, the vandals in Canberra who smeared faeces on a Liberal campaign billboard did nothing but undermine whatever cause they were trying to advance. Worse, the perpetrators degraded the ACT's federal election debate and diminished everyone involved. Leaders have the most influence over the tone of debate, and Mr Shorten was right to condemn the attack on Mr Morrison.

For the same reason, Mr Morrison's rejection of The Daily Telegraph story, and his display of sympathy for Mr Shorten, are to be applauded.

Thankfully, Australia is yet to have a Trumpian aggravator seeking to fan the country's growing partisan fires while in the top job.

Australians complain that their politicians are too scripted, too on-message, and then tear them down when they have a human moment of reflection. Some now appear to think it's acceptable to assault them.

They forget that Australians have the right to vote for their leaders, and the chance to express their views with that vote. With this comes a responsibility that makes the rest of Australia's democracy possible.

It's inscribed in our system of government. The nation belongs to no one individual alone. When it comes to choosing a government, no one person carries a more or less powerful vote.

It means that when it comes to politics, others must be treated with respect and decency. It's time to restore the standards of our public debate.