The political numbers in the Senate have been rearranged on the whim of an individual rather than the verdict of the masses at the ballot box. Mal Colston was placed high on the Queensland Labor Senate ticket and was duly elected, as indeed would any one who could breathe when put in that position. The fact is that the occupants of the two top places on the Senate ticket of each of the major parties get elected, irrespective of merit.
Last week, Senator Colston, after 20 years of being elected on the Labor ticket and voting the party line in the Senate spat the dummy and resigned from the party. Apparently he was disappointed at not getting the nod for the position of Deputy President of Senate. Senator Colston, from the Labor right, did not get the party’s endorsement for the position. That went to left-winger Sue West. Further, after 20 years of a not-too illustrious career, many in the Queensland branch of the Labor thought it might be time for him to recognise that the party had given him a fair innings and he should move aside for younger blood, particularly as there were several younger people of talent kicking their heels after being defeated in the House of Representatives election who might want to re-enter Parliament. Senator Colston might well have thought his time was up anyway, so it was better to serve his remaining three years as Deputy President of Senate with the better salary and retirement provisions and having the feeling that he served his country better than on the back-bench. So he went Independent in the knowledge he would get the Coalition vote in the Senate for the Deputy President’s job.
The lesson for the voters, of course, is that at election time, voters do not vote for a party, but individuals. The voting system is such that one might be excused for thinking differently. More than 80 per cent voters tick the party box and accept whomever the party has put up in the order the party has put them up. But such a system is bound to result in time-servers, party hacks, loyal lieutenants and others who are part of political trade offs being put forwards as candidates. Unlike the House of Representatives where each candidate contests as an individual for a single seat in a defined area, Senate candidates contest the election on a state-wide basis where personal merit is subsumed by party allegiances. It will not happen, but the ACT’s Robson rotation system would force the parties to look carefully at the quality of their Senate candidates.
Now Senator Colston has gone independent, the whole balance of power in the Senate has been shifted. Before, the Coalition needed the support of at least one Democrat or Green in addition to that of Independent Brian Harradine. Now it can get a majority without the Democrats or Greens. Moreover, it need only get one of the two independents to block motions in the Senate from the Opposition on things like setting up inquiries or censures.
Senator Colston says he will vote with his long Labor history in mind. However, he has acknowledged that the Government has a mandate for some things. There has been silence from Senator Colston and the Government on whether any deal has been done. None the less, he has gone from a position where he will always vote with Labor to one where he will not always vote with Labor. When he does not, it will usually mean the difference between legislation passing or not.
It will relieve a lot of pressure from Prime Minister John Howard.