Kohler, who writes at the New Daily and appears on ABC TV wrote this today:
“Perhaps the best permanent answer to branch stacking is more independents, so they get the balance of power in the lower house, and the stackers and stackees can’t run the country unconstrained.”
Slowly but surely, the tide is turning.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2021/11/11/branch-stacking-bargain-kohler/
#putlaberallast
true independents taking and holding the balance of power seems like something that would take decades to play out, if driven by incremental changes to people’s voting patterns (away from laberal). Unlikely, because people won’t maintain the rage over 3 – 5 election cycles.
it’s only really feasible if election rules are changed in a way that promotes more independents (less political duopoly). The chances of that happening is, of course, nada.
on the contrary, its more likely that any emerging trend towards more independents would see rules tightened to reduce the number of independents in the next parliament.
Usually rule tightening has been for micro parties particularly for the senate. Didn’t Turnbull try it and it backfired with more people voting for micro parties.
However, unless an independent is useful to an elected government, they are usually starved of resources to ensure they are ineffective and will get voted out. Only the big personality ones really remain.
The elites don’t like deplorables invading their turf. The elites run the government by themselves for themselves.
Quite
I have been putting Laberal near enough to last for years. The beauty of our lower house system is they will always get in. 2PP means your second least favourite is the one you hope to get in. The senate is more likely to reflect your vote, but once Laberal and Green numbers are down expect some ‘electoral’ reforms in that space.