The problem comes when, once elected, these people become independent of their constituents.

It's a nice idea, to have independents who can be truely democratic, but they are still human, have a mortgage and self interest, certainly some ego .. then if they want to survive they have to do deals.

If an independent said they were going in, for one term, to do whatever it is they are passionate about .. then I reckon the independence could be preserved .. but once in, they get a turn in the trough, and it's pretty well over.

If they are going into politics as a career, then self interest will be their driver .. that seems to be Rob Oakshotte's driver, he has a family to nurture and so wants to stay, clearly passionate, but seems not to be able to get along with people in a group

mind you some of them seem to be just driven by hatred (Windsor apparanty?), there was one woman in State politics in Victoria years ago who hated Jeff Kennett so much, she compromised her electorate's benefits for it. (but she sure felt good about it, I heard her interviewed last year, and she said she'd do it all again if she could)

It's just not a system that attracts really good people

Good point - the idea of a fixed 4 years for lower house or fixed 8 for upper could eliminate or at least reduce the trough sucking.
I suspect there are candidates who don't have mortages or other baggage who are genuinely interested in doing their civic duty.
There was a local councillor in the central west some years ago, who, on the death of the mayor, quit council saying 'my job here is done' - so yes, there are those who are focused on far less than the common good.

NSW indies are taking to declaring their position in the event of a hung parliment in advance (mostly consisting of stating they would not support NSW labor in the event of a hung parliment). The Windor/Oakenshot betrayal (of what would otherwise be quite safe coalition seats in 2PP terms) of their electorates will hopefully cause voters to demand better disclosure of the political leanings of their independant candidates.

That said both Windsor and Oakenshot were probably doomed at the next election from the moment Darren Cheeseman could safely celebrate holding Corrangamite. Either way their independance was going to be compromised. It is just a shame they signed the political execution orders themselves by siding against their constituants; though I guess the absolute certainty that they wont be re-elected gives them the rare freedom to do what they feel is right, regardless of the cost (such as support the wealth-redistribution-tax-on-breathing).

I disagree completely with this article, with regard to its whinging about Oakeshott and Windsor, and its view on NSW independant's chances at the NSW state election.
NSW voters are well able to distinguish between state and Federal issues and politicians: NSW voters were largely responsible for the hung Federal parliament, despite the NSW Labor government being almost as odious at the time as the Federal election last year as now.
NSW has a proud tradition of independents: it was independents who got us the Independant Commission Against Corruption, a Royal Commission into police corruption back in the 1980s, and political codes of conduct (note that Greiner, the last Coalition premier of NSW, had to fall on his sword and resign due to a breach of political codes of conduct).
Many high profile independants are running at this State election including the Newcastle mayor, and one of the most high profile independants from the past John Hatton has come out of retirement- see article below - so the major parties need not assume that there will be less independants elected this time around, despite a massive swing to the Coalition - you may assume, however, that the independants and greens are more likely to be winning what are currently Labor electorates (like Newcastle).
www.southernhighlandnews.com.au/news/local/news/politics/hatton-rallies-allies-to-reform-nsw-government/1931770.aspx

Excellent points Amicus.

>>The real issue though is that Windsor and Oakeshott were never really independents.

Who will ever forget that dills speach. Two hours to tell a five minute story. He must have made his mind up very early to have had time to prepare a speach like that.

What they should have done was to take the people back to the polls. Instead, they had already made up their minds it just that they wanted to lap up the attention as long as they could.

Now one problem with this was the cost, however, this cost would not have been such an issue if not for the waste and miss management of the past three years from the Rud/Gillard government. Remember, we went from sitting pretty to broke inside of three years.

Now there are a couple of true independents, Bob Katter and Nic Zen, for at least when they side with government policy their support is conditional.

The latest mail is that one of these independents is about to call a no confidence vote.

Bring it on!