Yes Foxy, interesting time indeed.
Interesting because there are a number of very important matters
coming over the horizon.
First, one thing here is the confusing use of the word "progressive".
I see it being used often attached to people/things you
could not call progressive. It often causes me to have to reread
paragraphs to sort out the meanings.
Anyway, that is beside the point.

We have a very serious problem which must be solved this year.
Electricity supply; with the Victorian station Hazlewood closing next
month, by next summer NSW & Victoria will join Sth Australia in having
an unreliable power supply. The operators of Hazlewood are abandoning
the plant because with the priority given to wind/solar it is uneconomic.

At present NSW is hanging on by its fingernails. If the Victorian
government does not take over Hazelwood and keep it operating NSW and
Victoria will have major load shedding next summer.
It is simple arithmetic, not an environmental argument.
You cannot pull 2GW out of the network and not have dangerous and
financially ruinous situations occur.

None of the shenanigans in Canberra has done anything to fix our
debt problem. Isn't it about time we acknowledged that the debt will never be repaid ?

A longer term problem is coal. World peak coal is with us now.
Australia is the lucky country again. We can flog off what will be a
very much needed fuel in other countries.
Or we can use it to extend the time we need to build a new electricity system.
As no one except Sth Aust government has made any noise about nuclear.
It does not appear to be a goer for the new system.
No one has made any useful suggestion about what can be used for generating electricity.
Solar Thermal seems to work in Spain & Portugal but the cost of the
electricity produced was uneconomic.
This is the most serious problem that we have, except that liquid fuel
supplies are looking more risky judging by recent news.
Problems in that area will increase the demand on electricity.

Cont:
So, with our political scene in turmoil with new parties coming out
of the woodwork, how do we find one that can tackle these problems
without sacrificing us the alter of politically correct global warming ?
Mark my words, this is the most serious problem we have faced since
finding a way across the Great Dividing Range.

Dear Bazz,

Thank You for the very valid issues that you've
raised.

I certainly don't have the answers.
All I can do is hope that we are able to
get a government that will attempt to
deal with the key challenges of this
century for us. One who will have
reforming legislation and will attempt to
sustain growth with fairness in our
immensely challenging economic times.
Who that government will be - I have
no idea at present. As I stated earlier,
I'm waiting to see
how successful the Coalition will be in
governing in such difficult and challenging
times. I know that some people don't like
Malcolm Turnbull. I still hold high hopes
for him as a leader. Still we'll have to
wait and see, I guess.

'Why did he not resign from the party but
chose to get elected as a Liberal Senator.
A bit under-handed on his part. Can such a
man be trusted. I doubt it!'

strangely enough I agree with you Foxy on this. Cory has shown he is no better principled than Malcolm who undermined and then backstabbed a PM to get his job. Personally I think if elected under a banner you should see the term out.

cont'd ...

Here's a link that explains what the consequences
of Senator Bernardi's leaving the Liberal Party
may be for the government:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-08/cory-bernardi-senate-explained-liberal-party-defection/8247140

In reponse, Paul goes off the deep end with a tirade against the Liberal Party, Bernardi himself, and calls for an election. Not going to happen, and the Greens would lose more ground.

Foxy talks about the violation of 'trust' because Bernardi was voted in as a Liberal. Well, Foxy, most people, sick and tired of what is going, do not belong to any political party, and couldn't care less about political parties. They certainly do not use the word trust in connection with politics or politicians.

Bazz reminds us of the true function of the Senate – to be a State's House – which is now totally ignored. Senators, like their low(er) house cronies do what their party says; they do not do their job and represent their states. Only independents represent their states. Bernardi, will now be able to represent his/my state without have to refer to the Liberal Party to keep himself in work; the voters will be able to keep him there, or not, as they do Xenophon. Brilliant for us South Ausralians!

This is not about how rotten are the Liberal, Labor parties, and the Greens. It is about US, the people of Australia. I don't much care for Bernardi, but I like many of the things he says, and what he says are not Liberal Party weasel words. Same applies to Xenephon, who is of the Left, but not of the Labor Party or the Greens.

A pox on all political parties. We owe them nothing, and they certainly do nothing for us. We want people, not parties.