Just like nearly all of our present politicians the only word they know which begins with E is the Economy. There is another word which is seldom mentioned and that is Environment. If we continue to destroy our natural environment at an ever increasing rate there will be no economy.
Get the priorities right.

Common sense is shining through this. The Senate should be entirely composed of Independents who will view each change in legislation on its own merits. Unfortunately the prejudices of Windshot did this view immesurable damage. But Windshot saw the error of their ways and are now gone. But the way to go is to vote for genuine Independents especially for the Senate. Read the information provided by each one of them and then vote for those that hold the nearest opinions to your own.

I will sing you a song which is short and sweet .

"The only good a politician is dead one'

I don't know how we prevent the major parties perverting the democratic process for their own advantage. Optional preferential voting used to allow us to terminate our vote before it reached anyone we really objected to. Gone. Voting for just the number of senators being elected in our state or territory meant that we could vote easily and quickly for our preferred candidates. Replaced by above the line voting and all the dodgy deals and fly-by-night nutters who are tutored in how to use preference deals get elected with 0.1% public support.

I've always wondered if a legal challenge could be mounted against Senators who fail to act in the interest of their State, as required by the Constitution.

In the meantime, this article from Independant Australia suggests how to cast a valid below-the-line vote that can't be counted past your chosen candidates:
http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/saving-your-senate-vote/