The “upward trend” in minor parties will continue – and is necessary – as the two major parties become more totalitarian and remote from the rest of us. There is now a definite political “class” in Australia that sees itself as being entitled to rule and make life-long careers out of politics, no matter how stale and irrelevant to the people they no longer represent they become.

It’s the perfect example of the collusion petrol sellers are (rightly) accused of. Politicians take it in turns to ‘run’ the country, but they are very little worse of in opposition as they are in government – the money and the perks, the power is always there for these people who have never had a proper job in their lives.

How many of us are not convinced, soon after a new government takes over, that “this lot are no different from the last lot”.

While some laugh and sneer at the likes of Palmer – mainly for such ‘profound’ reasons as his being too fat, too rich, a buffoon, and the rest of the epithets the sour and envious like to throw around – I am looking forward to seeing him blow a cold wind up the pompous born-to-rule backsides of the professional political classes.

Well said Miska.
We need more of the ‘European phenomenon’ of proportional representation which grants legislation only being passed by an agreement of a number of parties, thus compelling discussion on the vices and virtues of said legislation.
The current system of one party winning the prize of the lower house for three years and thus having the veto on all legislation could well be improved upon. Abolish the lower house, have the executive directly elected by the people, and make the Senate one-person-one-vote and we are well on our way there.