< Rob Oakeshott, perhaps unlike the other musketeers, will make trouble for whichever side of politics he comes to support. >

Well, of course he will Helen. He’s an independent, and by all accounts an honourable one. The others will too, won’t they? Bob Katter is bound to be a huge thorn in Gillard’s side (or Abbott’s).

I certainly hope they all will. Making trouble for the government will in all probability mean a considerably better standard of governance. Crikey, if we look back on the minority government in three years time and compare it to the Rudd government, which do you think will appear better, and by far?

It couldn’t possibly be worse than Rudd’s effort!

I dearly hope that Oakeshott and the others can keep the big party machine honest and give us a government that is more for the people and not so strongly tied to the wishes of big business.

Having had a few dealings with Rob Oakeshott I have always been very impressed with him. I am confident that whatever decision he makes (hopefully today!) will be the result of deep reflection.

The article correctly identifies that he is far from the typical country conservative MP that many assume him to be by virtue of geography and the previous representation for the area.

The decisions are in.

Whatever your thoughts are on the outcome, it is fair to say that the three Independents who held out until today have been under intense scrutiny and they have lived up to the task. Yes, even Bob Katter (many may not agree with him but at least we know where he stands - plain and clear) - not surprisingly, he needed to remain a maverick and announce his position a little earlier.

To compare, how many other MPs would survive this kind of scrutiny? What about the Senators (especially the ones from the major parties) that get elected almost automatically?

The Independents have a great burden ahead of them - a check on the Labor-Green majority in the Senate.

http://www.currentglobalperceptions.blogspot.com/

The fantastic thing that happened today is that Abbott is not Prime Minister and the Big End of town is not running the country for its own benefit.

Julia is a breath of fresh air. She deserved the chance to show Australia what she is made of. She now has that chance although the knives from the Murdoch Press will be always at the ready.

We really do need to change the way democracy is this country is carried out. The bosses versus the workers paradigm is finished.

We need to govern for everyone, not just for the rich, and capitalist corporations like miners, Woolworths and Coles, Investment Houses, Banks, the MSM, Agri-businesses, etc.

Hopefully Julia will be given a fair-go.

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You really believe that don't you David G? I find that incredible.

Labor are closer to big business than the Libs ever were. It is only government & big business that have unions, so with Labor you have government, the unions, & big business all locked in an incestuous embrace, that excludes all the rest of us.

If you doubt this, just have a look at how many Labor members move to the boardrooms of big business, the instant they leave government.

I guess people only see what they want to see.

<< The fantastic thing that happened today is that Abbott is not Prime Minister and the Big End of town is not running the country for its own benefit. >>

David G, I’ve got to agree with Hasbeen – Labor is closer or at least as close to big business as the Libs….. and I can’t see them becoming any more distant.

<< We really do need to change the way democracy is this country is carried out. >>

Absolutely.

<< We need to govern for everyone, not just for the rich… >>

Too right. I’m with you all the way. But I can’t see Labor changing too much.

Unfortunately, I can’t see the Greens or the independents exerting any real pressure to make her change either.