Even before this cliffhanger election, some journalists questioned the democratic credentials of Independent MPs. One critic argued that Independents had only a few thousand supporters, while the votes given members of parties should be aggregated to measure their individual approval rating.
Since both major parties wasted their chance to secure a clear mandate, the Independents have been treated contemptuously in the media as opportunists, impractical idealists and vengeful egotists.
This negative attitude by some elements of the press gallery is most likely explained by laziness. The 'in-out' nature of the Westminster system is simple to understand and to comment upon. By making Parliament complex, the rise of Independents complicates the lives of the political hacks. The truth is however, that all MPs envy Independents.
My research among state MPs some years ago showed that most considered themselves to be 'trustees' committed to the common good. Some thought of themselves as 'delegates' representing specific seats, but few rated highly their roles as political partisans.
Asked about their representational ideals, most rated their conscience and community interest highly and about half of the interviewees thought a specific electorate important. A number of backbenchers spoke of the frustrations caused by party discipline and some related incidents where they had expressed dissent from the party whip, absented themselves from a vote or even crossed the floor because of a conscientious stance.
While these findings might not necessarily generalise across time and systems, there is no reason to believe that federal MPs today would express markedly different views.
In 1991 after being elected initially in 1988, the Greiner Coalition Government was reduced to a minority. At first it could rely on a conservative Independent and then needed support from three genuine Independents, who demanded implementation of a Charter of Reform. In return the Independents promised not to support opposition motions of no confidence and not to block genuine money bills.
Some Coalition MPs later admitted that the extra parliamentary scrutiny saved the government from making embarrassing mistakes and helped improve legislation. The lack of a majority did however, lead to some desperate measures and eventually to the resignation of the premier.
The online lobby group GetUP! organised a National Press Club Forum for crossbenchers this week. Independents Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter were joined by the Greens' Adam Bandt.
Bandt's perspective was different from that of the Independents. He seemed prepared to accept a role in a