For Independents Fighting corruption within government or on the outside by making properly made applications, does highlight a tortuous path, not taken lightly. Not having a vested interest is difficult but not impossible to work with if pecuniary interests are declared, as this duel applicant has done.

Nice thoughts but the game has changed, so much influence is now legitimised through govt bods being on lobbyist boards and vice versa, the placement of govt bods as CEOs of the property interests (various), and former pollies being in business. Hatton can get real or not but he won't succeed in this world.

I was fortunate enough to be a constituent during Ted Mack's time as Mayor of North Sydney, State MP and Federal MP, and was able to see him in action first-hand. He was pretty conspicuous too, his 1951 Citroen Light Fifteen being very hard to miss around the place.

To witness the man going about his business was to understand that is indeed possible for politicians to be uncorrupted, and to put the people ahead of politics.

Such a pity that politicians no longer have the slightest concept of, or interest in, public service. Instead, politics is all about protecting a cushy career, building up the superannuation, grabbing perks by the fistful (overseas study-tour, anyone?), toeing the party line, abandoning principles and being totally and completely expedient.

As most succinctly summarized by Frederic Marshall:

>>Hatton can get real or not but he won't succeed in this world.<<

The saddest part of that remark is not its ingrained cynicism, but its plain and unadorned truth.

A fantastic article Brian Holden, and an issue sadly longing in modern Australia.

My attitude to voting is that a vote is only wasted if you didn't vote for who you actually wanted. Otherwise the worst that happens is that your preferred candidate doesn't get in and you can join the other 60% of voters in your electorate who are in the same boat- and that includes people that voted for a Labor/Liberal candidate.

Though luckily I think that with the major two-and-a-half parties mirroring each other more than ever before in policy and generally becoming quite unpalatable and distant: and the rest of the parties and members advertising their policies online, and that we are now actually allowed to limit prefereces below the line, all things considered we are better suited to voting other candidates than before.

The only downside is too many people would be too repulsed by election infosheets to get up to scratch with candidates, and are simply too comfortable voting for the Liberal or Labor party (and of course live in an electorate where choice is more limited to that of the Inner West of Sydney).

On another positive upsides though, the wide coverage of independents' influences in Federal Parliament, increased Greens votes, itself a shift away from the "duopoly", reduces the imperative of 'preventing the less popular Major from reaching a mandate'.

Just a general comment on what we wish for. At present the Italians have a government (in both houses) comprising of ten Parties and alliances to form the majority. Italy has had this configuration from WWII onwards and in that sixty odd years Italy has had about 60 governments. It must be said that Italy is comprised of people who consider their regions autonomous states, hence the fractured coalitions. But this suggests to me that the voice of the people is being heard and that is of course a positive thing, but how effective is a government that has to cater to all tastes. Our current fractious government is a case in point, how can a government be assured they can deliver the policy.

IMO the two or three party system is the most stable, but we must encourage an equal playing field for the independents. To this end I would limit political campaigning to $100k per candidate per electorate, and the pseudo propaganda spending through the Unions, common interest, and Industry groups would be banned during the election period. This bare bones campaigning would encourage the candidates to actively "soap box" campaign in their electorates, not just at pre arranged and stage managed showcases but into the shopping centre and streets selling their wares, telling the story directly, much as the independents have to do now, perform without being cocooned in their political machines spin cycle. If nothing else it will give them a taste of reality and hopefully a feeling of accountability.

Next preferential voting goes, first past the post, the majority rules, this mandate that candidates must receive an absolute majority, 50% plus 1 has to go

I don't think we should get too carried away with the incorruptibility of independents. Question marks exist over Windsor and Oakeshott who have lent their support to the present Government in return for personal and electoral favours, and probably with considerable disapproval in their respective electorates.

Corruptibility is a personal quality, a matter of the heart in the face of opportunities for corruption presented.

My local State politician, a member on one of the two major political parties, is exemplorary in regard to integrity and commitment to his electorate.