The government of strange bedfellows and the end of politics as we know it

Rob Oakeshot seemed a tad indulgent as he kept the nation waiting to hear which of the major parties he would support with his single house of representatives vote. More people switched on their television sets to watch who would form government for the next three years than at any time I can remember. Many would have found Oakeshot to be a tiresome pain in the arse. Nevertheless get used to independents and minority parties holding the balance of power in Commonwealth and State elections because that, in the long term, and with some possible twists along the way, is where Australia is headed.