Good question, Graham,

My initial response to the advent of Lambie as a Senator was that she was pretty dense....but who am I to say a straight talking muggins from Tassy can't make an impact?

It seems to me that Clive Palmer, despite all his bluster to the contrary, is only in Parliament to feather his own nest. I've lost count of the number of times he's stood up to the govt only to roll over when he's achieved concessions - concessions usually amenable to his business interests. His attendance record in the HoR is woefully inadequate - as his main strength is in PUP's Senate numbers...so the fact that Lambie jumped ship was mildly entertaining for me.

Also it's difficult not to be impressed with Lambie sticking to her principles regarding the ADF....and her request for someone to fetch Pyne a box of Kleenex when she was instrumental in nixing his higher education reform bill recently shows she's not cowed by her relative inexperience in the lion's den of federal politics.

In general, she reminds one of Pauline Hanson, limited intellectually (who could forget her cringe-worthy and vacuous interview with Barrie Cassidy at the height of the Govt's "terror hysteria")....yet she seems to grasp the inherent unfairness underpinning much of the govts reform agenda - and understands also her power to halt it where she can.

So, addressing Graham's point that she was elected as a PUP representative - and now she's not. There are many aspects of this parliament that presented themselves as one thing - and subsequently turned out to be not like that at all. The govt itself is the best example of that - and Palmer and PUP another.

Dear OnTheBeach,

<<Think of the savings if the Australian Senate was towed to the continental shelf off NSW and sunk. It would need that depth so none of them could still have a hand out after.>>

But the Senate is only there in order to balance the greater evil of Parliament, so your suggestion should instead be applied to the root cause of the problem.

Regarding Lambie, I like seeing *real* people in parliament/senate, making havoc and replacing the regular zombies. But what a pity, however, that unlike say Ricky Muir, Lambie seems to be just an ordinary thief, soon to swap her seat for the cold prison bench, for cheating on the welfare-system and receiving disability pension while also receiving a salary from PUP.

Yuyutsu,

You make a very solid point that the ordinary, principled citizen should be in Parliament and not just the polished poseurs (L'il Willie Shorten is a perfect example) who are out for themselves anyhow and are the marionnettes of unelected, unrepresentative faceless figures and interests lurking in the shadows.

As for the Senate being some sort of balance when both houses are inflicted with similar lack decency, right again.

Agreed too that Lambie may play it close to the edge. More on the senator,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqui_Lambie

Enjoyed your straight remarks. Have a good day.

poirot: Clive Palmer, is only in Parliament to feather his own nest.

Something I said at the very start, but if he does some good for Australians while he is there, well & good.

poirot: Also it's difficult not to be impressed with Lambie sticking to her principles regarding the ADF.

The others that can be persuaded to sell out. A rare quality indeed. Abbotts not impressed. He said, "She doesn't know how Politicians/Parliament operate." Meaning, you put on a brave face then give in.

poirot: In general, she reminds one of Pauline Hanson, limited yet she seems to grasp the inherent unfairness underpinning much of the govts reform agenda.

Exactly & she's not selling Australians out for her own gain. If more of the Independents had the guts to do the same then the Government would be forced to put forward good Legislation.

poirot: There are many aspects of this parliament that presented themselves as one thing - and subsequently turned out to be not like that at all.

Oh, Duh!

GrahamY: but the Tasmanians who voted for her because she was the PUP candidate.

I bet she gets a bigger slice of the pie next time though if she keeps to her digs.

Suseonline: I don't care much for Ms Lambies childish tantrums and silly tactics when she doesn't get her own way, and I am embarrassed that someone like her was actually voted in to our parliament,

You must be very embarrassed by the entire Government then. Why just pick on her. She is no different to any of them. At least she hasn't been bought yet, like the others have been.

579: Someone like Lambie show more strength than Clive palmer, who is there for what he can get.

She sure does.

CH: Lambie is the proof the electoral system is seriously flawed. Only 6.6% Tasmanians voted for her.

So you want a system that rubber stamps everything at the expense of ordinary Australians. Then why have a Voting System at all. Oh, I forgot you would like an Anarchy System, as from your previous post.

Dear Graham,

I admire Lambie's stance to try and make a difference.
If more politicians did the same - perhaps we would get
better results all round.

cont'd ...

Peter Coleman summed things up rather well in
the Preface to "The Costello Memoirs," when he
wrote about politicians in general that -

"Whatever they may say, most of them do not go into
Parliament to bring about particular reforms: they
go in because they find the life irresistible.
They want to be in it all their lives. They enjoy
its exhilarating highs and take its miserable (and
tedious) lows in their stride. They take for granted
the slander of fools. They also believe that the
voters will get it right in the end. Their day will
come. They are politicians in the way others are poets.
They can't help themselves."

We have to wait and see whether Lambie fits into this
description or whether she isn't like that. It's still
early days - however, from what we've seen thus far -
it would appear that she's not a seat-warmer, or a hack,
or a careerist. It appears as I stated earlier - that
she did go into Parliament to make changes.
And that can't be a bad thing - surely?