Crossbench Kingmakers Could Influence a Divided House
As the federal election approaches, independents may play a crucial role in shaping government decisions amid growing voter discontent
Australia, Tasmania, Andrew Wilkie, Tony Windsor, Hung Parliament, Minority Government
Hobart: So, it looks like Australian democracy might get a shake-up soon. With the federal election on the horizon, there’s a good chance we could end up with a hung parliament. Independent politicians are starting to think this could actually be a good thing.
Voters are feeling pretty fed up with both the coalition and Labor. Andrew Wilkie, an independent from Tasmania, believes that a hung parliament could lead to better governance. He argues that when a government has a solid majority, it can act like a dictatorship, just pushing through whatever it wants.
Wilkie thinks that if the government has to negotiate with crossbenchers, it could lead to better laws and stop the bad ones. The major parties, however, are insisting they’ll govern alone and claim a minority government would just create chaos. But Wilkie sees that as a scare tactic.
He’s not alone in his thinking. The crossbench has grown significantly since 2010, and many expect them to do well in the upcoming election. Historically, Australia has had only two hung parliaments, one in 1940 and another in 2010, when Wilkie was part of a group that helped form a minority government.
That government, led by Julia Gillard, was surprisingly productive, passing over 500 pieces of legislation, including major reforms like the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Wilkie found that experience stable but learned the hard way that you can’t always trust the government to keep its promises.
He’s decided that if there’s a hung parliament this time, he won’t make any formal deals. Instead, he’ll look at each piece of legislation on its own. Former independent MP Tony Windsor agrees, saying written deals aren’t worth much and that it’s better to let parliament do its job.
Windsor is excited about the new wave of independents, believing they’ve shown their worth to their communities. A minority government could allow them to push through legislation that wouldn’t have a chance under a majority.
During his time, Windsor helped pass significant bills, including one for a royal commission into child abuse. He points out that for years, majority governments failed to tackle the Murray-Darling Basin issue, but a hung parliament finally got it done.
Despite all this, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton are working hard to win back voters. Even though the election hasn’t officially started, both leaders are already out there making promises and campaigning across the country.