The sport of politics, an independent choice | Thebigtip

Hard to believe, isn’t it?

Four days after a federal election and we’re still no closer to forming a government. At least that’s how the punters would have it.

No, not a tight race with 10% either way. As of 10.20am Wednesday morning, dead level. $1.87 apiece on Centrebet.

Millions of dollars are tied up in the result. Let’s hope those who took the $6-8 on a hung parliament are savouring their winnings.

But you’re a better pick than I am if you can say which way the four independents will go, particularly Queenslander Bob Katter who is doing some savouring of his own in the spotlight.

If latest allegations can be believed, and he did indeed threaten Townsville Liveral Peter Lindsay at the airport in May, then one might have reason to think he could support Labor. But he’s a stubborn chap, and let’s remember that he was once a key figure in the Queensland Nationals, strongly aligned to the conservative parties.

But here’s what he had to say about the Liberals: ''Tony's mob were in there for 12 years - at the end of the 12 years there was a farmer committing suicide every four days in this country. If they were good for the bush I'm a Martian astronaut.''

I hadn’t thought of it that way, but maybe there’s a little bit of green in Bob Katter after all.

Tasmania’s Andrew Wilkie has a nice tight agenda which is spearheaded by a desire to bring troops back from Afghanistan.

He says he doesn’t like the way the other three independents are “acting”, claiming they’re acting like their own political party – with three distinct factions.

Rob Oakeshott reckons we should do away with party control, instead adopting a multi-party government. Seems he too is enjoying the limelight, and won’t be declaring his hand too soon.

The other independent is Tony Windsor, who is the dark horse. He’s not as vocal as the others but has experience at this sort of thing. In the early 1990s, he held the balance of power in the New South Wales state parliament.

Windsor is likely to favour the conservatives, but he’ll be wanting his chop as he did when he had state power – spots on committees, extra gigs, more friends. And why wouldn’t he?

The bottom line is that nothing is any clearer at this point. Which $1.87 do you take? My money would be on a conservative government, but I’ve changed my thinking 17 times in the past three days.

Such is the intrigue of this debacle. It’s reality television at its most real.