Nah buddy, that doesn't make much sense. Sure those few thousand votes count, but no more than the millions of other votes. If any part of those millions of other votes were different, then the election result could easily be different. So I think "ALL" votes count pretty much equally.

Dear Baygon,

I love your opening post,
and wish it could happen.

A Parliament where everyone behaves like an
Independent? However, I don't think
that it's going to happen. We've always
been a two-party system (more or less),
with each party electing their own leaders.
Whether we like a leader or not - voters
have always voted for the party of their
choice (the fact that we think we're voting
for the leader in some cases - is an illusion).
It's always been about party politics in this
country. One can live and hope for a Parliament
of national unity - but I somehow feel that
it's not going to be allowed to happen, at
least not yet. Once they've tasted the power,
how are you going to persuade them to share it?
I think the three Independents we've seen on
TV - Tony Windsor, Bob Katter, Rob Oakeshott
are impressive, and we need more of them in
Parliament - but realistically, how much
influence will they have and what sort of deals
will they make - we'll have to wait and see.
My money's still on the Party System, unfortunately.

I agree that the two party system is probably here to stay.

I am happy that Mr. Windsor and Mr. Oakeshot will be two voices of reason of the three independents deciding on who is to lead our country.

Mr. Katter is certainly a voice for country and farming people, but I dislike his views on guns. He seems a bit of a hothead to me.

I watched a program on TV about him last week.
While carrying on about the wonders of country life, he goes on to say that apart from the many guns lining the walls of his living areas, he also keeps a gun in each of the children's bedrooms, just in case they should ever need to defend themselves when he is away!

I hope the other two independents are able to rein this guy in!

Belly, you're showing nothing but good sense being worried about the greens.

By the time they had opened our borders to anyone who wanted wander in, there would be nothing left of our country, lifestyle, or your unions.

The last thing we need, particularly now, is a bunch of dreamers with any trace of power.

It will be interesting to watch the fight between the new independents, & the greens, trying to do exactly the opposite to/for the bush.

Suze, I hope that if ever you go & live in some place isolated from any overview by anyone, that some wiser council will prevail.

Anyone in an isolated home must be prepared to defend themselves, & the belief in the neighborhood, that you are well armed, & willing to use your arms is the first line of defence.

Unfortunately I think it is most likely that many who have been living very sheltered lives, may soon have to rethink their attitude to many aspects of life in Oz.

Well I am really pleased top see the rise of Green Senators, and the new chum in Tanner's seat too.

Wilkie deserved a win after all his work exposing the sham of Howard's handy-little-war, although he sounds as if he might not quite have grasped what he's up to there, so far.

Windsor sounds like the politician we all need in this electorate, Oakeshot is something of a fundie by all accounts, and sounds just a little too unrealistic in his war-cabinet dreams, as with our initial poster here.

Gillard is proving to be a total dud, first female PM or not, although she retains the 'marginally better choice' ticket than Abbott, who clearly never expected to win this, yet may still flop over the line.

The ALP, the caucus and the machines in every state and federally, are to blame for this mess.

First by electing Rudd to PM status, when his track record in Qld with Goss was there for all to see and understand.

Secondly for being so weak they never tried to pull him in as PM.

Third for dumping him without any idea what to do next.

Fourth by allowing Gillard to behave in exactly the same way as Rudd had been, making things up on the run, and coming up with daft ideas, like the 150 'citizens'...or wasting another $222m on evangelising nut-cases in our schools.

Should Abbott get up, as it looks as if he will, I hope that Gillard will be done for within the ALP.

There are no real contenders within the ALP, never mind caucus, who deserve to be PM, but there may be a worm somewhere within that could cobble together something resembling an opposition.

With luck, should Abbott get in, he's such a dunce, with such deadwood all around him, that he too will blow it, and probably in less than 3 years.

If he does get in.... the Senate should be a real laugh-a-minute.

To be sure we are living in interesting times.

Gillard's East Timor Solution was the final straw, that decided for me to vote Greens in both houses. To all who believe that the Greens are nothing more than a singe issue party, I suggest you do your homework and check out their policies and bring your knowledge into the 21st century.

Foxy, I'd be careful of what you wish for if you really believe that Katter is "impressive".