"But unfortunately the Greens just don’t cut it, as far as our future well being is concerned" and "the Greens are not really green."
Ludwig where is your evidence to back these claims. Sustainability is a corner stone of the Greens policies. The conservatives, of the right and left delude themselves that the Greens are nothing more than an aberration that will soon fade. It is my prediction that it will be Labor which will continue to fade as there true supporters feel the pinch and start to realise that there so called 'reform policies' do not work. The small ultra conservative affluent right will most likely resort to calling out the army to restore law and order, or better still return power to those that were born to rule.

I think it depends on your definition of "better", Ludwig.

>>This hung parliament is not looking any better at all than the previous few non-hung parliaments.<<

From the viewpoint "is it making a difference to the way decisions are reached", I'd say that much has changed.

It is true that our parliament has not had any previous experience of working this way, and is finding it all very tough going. Hence the "masterly inactivity" we are presently witnessing, as Grim points out.

I would strongly suspect, however, that this parliament may substantially change the way in which the electorate approaches the ballot box in future. Or at the very least, have a major impact on the manner in which electoral campaigns are structured.

Thing is, the current set-up is fundamentally unworkable, and I think everyone has realized this.

We don't, after all, have a coalition that is made up of Parties, who have declared their policy positions prior to the election, and can therefore approach post-election negotiations in a relatively structured manner.

Instead, we have a small band of mavericks, whose loyalty lies with the whims and fancies of a tiny proportion of the population, rather than with a broadly articulated and widely-recognize series of political priorities.

The place of the Independent in Australian politics is now under scrutiny by the populace at large, who - rightly, in my view - feel profoundly cheated by the result of their Party-focussed vote.

Undoubtedly this will be a recurring theme at the next election. Parties will be telling voters "look at the mess that a vote for an Independent creates", while the Independent will be saying "look how much power you will have as individuals if you elect me".

I wouldn't like to guess which way that particular stand-off will go. But it will be a sad day for "democracy" if the will of the majority becomes permanently subject to the demands of tiny, dispersed special interest groups, who suddenly find themselves with more power than they can realistically handle.

It looks as though we can expect an interesting ride, psephologically speaking.

Pericles, precisely what is the will of the majority? There is no majority. Labor has no mandate with 38% of the vote, the Coalition did a bit better with about 44% still no mandate from a majority. The Greens scored over 1.4 million votes and only one member. Some voters some where wanted blokes that suck straw and wear broad brimmed hats. I think we got what we voted for.

Absolutely, Paul1405.

>>Pericles, precisely what is the will of the majority? There is no majority... I think we got what we voted for.<<

The problem is, we aren't accustomed to handling anything except white-bread Party politics. We have even become accustomed to the eternal faction-fighting, and the occasional accidental coincidence where stated policy is matched by parliamentary activity.

What the system hasn't yet determined is how to handle the essentially "non-Party" nature of a parliament where the balance of power is vested in a handful of individuals that represent an only slightly larger handful of voters.

Pericles I agree with what you say. Maybe we have only one major political party in Australia with two factions the do as little as we can faction and the do even less faction. Our politicians should be made wear uniforms in that way we could tell which 'Party' they belonged to. Not knocking Kevin Rudd if he defected to the other side would he really have to change his thinking that much, the same could be said of the majority from both sides. I'm not unhappy with the situation that now exists, in fact it should lead to another election not to far down the track. Hopefully not until we (Greens) get a chance to stick it up Labor in NSW.

Hey Pericles, Do Australians think 'of what they can do for their country, or what their country can do for them"?
I strongly suspect the immense bargaining power of the independents will reap windfalls for their electorates, and thereby increase their majorities. Electorates with less bargaining power could well start wondering about the wisdom of party politics, and just want to join the independent gravy train.
The question becomes: do we want effective, hard working, 'noisy' politicians, always bustling around changing things -like Rudd- or would we prefer a parliament so busy squabbling with itself that it leaves the rest of us alone?
I agree Paul 1405, I also think we got what we voted for.