Plus, given Labor and the Greens struck up a deal prior to the election, you should be able to fairly safely assume that the Green in Melbourne will be compelled to support Labor, regardless of what he's saying now. If that was the party line prior to the election I couldn't imagine it changing bar something drastic happening.

So if he's going to take a side then it puts pressure on the rest to act too I guess

Wilson,
While what you say is true in theory and despite the noble talk from two of the 'independents' I doubt that democracy will be served.

Firstly, Bob Katter he is Queensland's answer to Tuckey.

I suggest you read on what he has fought for in the past. This man is by all accounts the lowest common denominator.
He has supported shifting the financial support from the non custodial parent; Staunchly anti gay; Staunch Joh supporter (gerrymander included) has described citizenship as "dee wogging" and the list goes on.
Does anyone really believe he will be neutral in his preferences or predictable? His career says not. He is the politician for his area.
Remember even bigots are nice to their friends some are reasonably smart/devious too. i.e. Enoch Powell.
Do we want this man filtering what gets passed and what doesn't i.e. more repressive boat people laws.

The others offer high ideals but as pointed out if they sided with the Labor they will suffer a local backlash and they know it.
This would extend to policies as well.
They will be under intense electorate pressure to filter and advance Conservative fear policies.

Tony Windsor has suggested issues like question time being cleaned up, an independent speaker, improved listening to committees and better communications with the Senate.
Chikorofski (no idea of the spelling) said on tv the independents forced that in NSW but all but the 4 year term were subsequently dumped. The conservative MP was subsequently dumped too.

In other words Chooks will be Chooks! Progressive? if it means bigger focus on the bush but not when it comes to urban progressive ideas.

Clearly I have no faith in the party system other than it will continue to do what it has done for years.

Yep I expect a coalition govt even though the majority 2PP (current numbers) of the people want a better (Labor?)progressive party.

The bloke who had a go at some one for not spelling catters name right, ok katter.
Why did you not separate your last and first names in your tag?
Because bloke it does not matter do not be so petty.
IQ is not measured by spelling ,understanding can be aq messure however

I'm with you there Belly.

If some of these people spent a bit more time thinking about what was said, rather than how it was said, or spelt, they would end up much wiser than they started.

examinator, very well said. I totally agree with you on Katter being erratic and unpredictable. It really wouldn't surprise me if any or all of the 3 independents end up supporting Labor. The other argument towards that I suppose is that they obviously all hold some sort of grudges towards their old party and it seems like they've all been given hell by the Nationals trying to pinch their seats back off them.. so that may be enough for them to ignore pressure from their constituents. Who really knows at the moment.

I'm making a lot of assumptions in a lot of what I've said. Whatever way they go they will cop a backlash from some of their supporters. The most logical way for them all to fall would be towards the coalition where you'd assume they all lean fundamentally (having all been National Party members) and given the strong anti-labor vote in each of the electorates, would cause them the least voter backlash. I think Windsor polled so strongly that he must be pulling Labor votes anyway, and he's been broken away from the Nationals for the longest, so it may be easiest for him to support Labor.. the other two may struggle to be re-elected if they were to make a move that way. Having said that, you could still safely assume that the better part of Windsors vote is conservative.

I still think the reports on the 3 independents leaning towards favouring Labor that came out in todays reports is a bit of scaremongering to up the ante on whatever deals they're all looking for, and they'll still be at least two of them, if not 3 that support the coalition. Wouldn't at all be surprised if I opened up the paper in a weeks time and they're backing a Labor Government though either.. it's just one of those situations.

One thing's for sure, I bet they're all sick of receiving random phone calls from 'long lost friends' on both sides of politics that wouldn't have congratulated them on winning their seats any other year!

I also wouldn't put too much emphasis on the highest 2 party preferred vote. It's so close that I doubt many will be giving much weight to it. If you were to look at primary votes then the coalition trumps Labor considerately. Once you start cutting the preferences Labor marginally win the 2 party preferred stakes. Without the green preference deal I think we probably wouldn't even be in this situation, and it's just not possible to know how many green voters voted green knowing they'd be assisting Labor to retain Government in the bigger picture.

Although traditionally the greens are closer to Labor than Liberal and they would have received a greater majority of green preferences anyway, in my opinion the overall margin for the highest 2PP vote (remembering after preferences) isn't big enough to draw the conclusion that the Australian people as a whole want Labor in power, as is being implied by Gillard.