There Must Be Some Kinda Way Outta Here...

OK, this post may only be of interest to my Australian readers (if any such exist). My international readers (if any such exist) may get a slight insight into the workings of Australian Government, a wild and unpredictable beast now entering strange new territory.

It's been a week and the sky has not fallen in. Granted, Parliament has not sat yet, and not being in ancient Gaul the sky falling in is not a principle national concern. But it looks as if the Labor minority government is set to at least have a go at governing our country. We must, however, remember that the whole house of cards could tumble at any time. We are only one by-election away from meltdown. Even without this, if legislation fails to get through because of cracks in the hastily constructed alliance with regional independents who share only marginal ideological ground, we could be going back to the polls in less time than we all would have liked. Certain former political leaders have given the current state of affairs a maximum of 18 months. Nothing like stable government can be said to exist at all for the next 3 years.

But my next question is more interesting: how will the electorate solve the problem? At some point we will have to line up again and fill in another slip of paper, so which way will we jump? There are two possibilities.

First, the electorate will become more 'conservative'. I don't mean that we will all start voting for the Shooters and Fishers (though I note the remarkably high vote they appeared to get this time round). What I mean is that the garden variety Aussie voter has a general preference (no pun intended) for how they will vote unless they have a good reason to vote otherwise. This election much was made of the 'protest vote', an unavoidable byproduct of both major parties having divisive leaders and a lack of positive vision. When the next election comes around will the electorate swallow its pride and go back to their old voting patterns in order to produce a more 'representative' parliament? This would be seen in a drop in primary vote for the Greens or corresponding conservative parties in order to make sure that at least one of the major parties gets to govern in its own right.

Second, the electorate will become more 'radical'. The alternative option is that, if the current government falls into utter farce, the voters will vote for someone who will Get Something Done, even if it means opening themselves up to other political action that they might wish to avoid. This would see minor parties and independent candidates boosting their primary vote. Such an outcome is likely, especially if the independents who hold the balance of power are seen to be driving policy. The electorate might then prefer to go for strong local independents who might be able to gain local development advantage (i.e. pork barreling in exchange for support).

Whadda youse all reckon? What's a voter to do in these circumstances?