It is now fourteen days since Australia went to a general election meant to decide its next federal government and still three of the five newly elected/re-elected members of parliament holding the balance of power in the House of Representatives have not made a decision concerning exactly which minority government they will support - Labor or the Liberal/Nationals Coalition.
The situation entered into farce early on when one successful WA Nationals candidate also attempted to deal himself in as an independent, even though he was firmly in the Coalition camp during the election campaign according to the party's website.
Now we are approaching a political climate in which supposedly considered judgement is beginning to give way to highway robbery as the three remaining unaligned seasoned independent MPs hold the nation and the two main parliamentary parties to ransom.
The fact that the Australian Electoral Commission will not be declaring the national poll within the next few days is no excuse for these prima donnas milking the situation for all it is worth.
By 4.30pm on 3 September 2010, 91.22% of the primary vote had been counted and the two party preferred count was 86.72% complete with only one seat considered technically doubtful according to a finely-honed computer program.
One wonders why any of us bothered to vote at all. Enough is enough. Align by Monday morning Messrs Katter, Oakeshott and Windsor (or announce that you will not be supporting a minority government) if you want to retain any semblance of credibility.
