You are missing the point, davidf.

>>Compromise is necessary for the workings of democracy.<<

I have absolutely no quarrel with that statement. As I said before:

>>At best, compromise represents an acceptable middle ground.<<

What is under discussion here is the impact that individuals who are massively under-represented in terms of the will of the people, have on the outcome of legislation that affects the vast proportion of the electorate who didn't vote for them.

How is that in any way "democratic"?

Dear Pericles,

The representatives of the small parties can only have any influence if they ally themselves on a particular issue with representatives of a larger party. It would be undemocratic if they could operate without allies. However,they don't. They represent those individuals who feel that the major parties do not represent them. I don't know what could be more democratic.

If only that were so, david f

>>The representatives of the small parties can only have any influence if they ally themselves on a particular issue with representatives of a larger party.<<

What they do in real life is to insert their own agendas into the legislation, and withhold their support until their parochial, small-minded, unrepresentative demands are met.

Dear Pericles,

If a major party has a majority it can pass what it wants regardless of what the small parties want. Your adjectives, parochial and small-minded, may apply to any opinion. In my view since corporate contributions flow to the major parties more than to the minor parties a small party may be less parochial and small-minded than a major party which is indebted to its contributors. I belong to the Greens precisely because they are generally less parochial and small-minded than either the Libs or Labor. We get few corporate contributions and are more interested in preserving our environment and in social justice than the major parties. We have not engaged in scare tactics about the boat people like Libs and Labor but want them treated decently.

Dear Pericles,

In general the party discipline of the major parties requires the members to vote as the party room tells them. If they don't they may be disendorsed. They must ignore the promptings of conscience, the wishes of constituents and the good of Australia and the world if it conflicts with the dictates of the party room. I regard that as small-minded and parochial.

Obviously Bob Day's work on Affordable housing goes missing amongst the progressive Labor left, as usual. The light on the hill is out of sight.