It's very difficult to perform an autopsy on this election at this stage, since the "corpse" is still wriggling!
I find the result a frustrating one. I am not sure that the majority of Australians realise how difficult it will be to form a cohesive and productive government in this situation. In my opinon, it's almost inevitable that parochial interests will become a bargaining point. Rural interests SHOULD be an important part of the government's policies and actions; that does not mean particular geographical locations or minority issues should get an insistent voice (a voice that must be yielded to) simply because their representative is an Independent or Green with the ability to block wide-ranging policies and actions Australia-wide.
If the Independents and the Greens put aside their own wish-list and the particular interests of their own constituents, speaking primarily as an important voice for all of rural Australia, that'd be one thing.
Will it happen?
I sincerely doubt it.
I thought Oakeshott's suggestion that a govt be formed with Ms Gillard at its head and Malcolm Turnbull serving - or vice versa with Tony Abbott as its leader and Mr Swan serving - was inherently ludicrous.
There IS a reason why there are different political parties, Mr Oakeshott. They have different political views... If they didn't, they'd all form one party and there'd be no such thing as elections. For that matter, without different political views (and often very STRONG differences in political views), we'd all have the SAME political opinions and wouldn't see the point in voting for one party or another. There is a land where that happens... It's called La-La Land, and in that land there is no crime, no waste, no tears, and not only does the lion lie down with the lamb, but the lion actually gives the lamb a footrub.
In the real world, we DIFFER from each other. In the real world, we have individual concerns, and individual standards. We may form alliances and groups that share the same standards and concerns in many respects, but there are alliances and groups we would not wish - under any circumstances - to join.
By the way, does anyone else find the more-enlightened-than-thou stance of the Greens rather irritating? I find myself wanting to throw endangered hedgehogs at some of them... (*feels very guilty about this sudden passion for violence, but still, surreptitiously, looks around for endangered hedgehogs*)
