Edgy Voting Patterns !

Across the entire world traditional voting patterns are undergoing change.  British voters have just delivered a verdict to withdraw from the EU and Spain has been without a government for over a year because forming alliances have failed.   In many countries extreme movements from both the left and right are altering traditional voting patterns.

Saturdays Australian election was billed as a cliffhanger - and it certainly delivered some surprises.  At the end of the night the final result was unclear. Either the government will be returned with a wafer thin majority, or we will have a hung parliament requiring a coalition extension to the minor parties.

It was clear that Labor gained a small swing in several states and a major gain in Tasmania, but not enough to win government.   Many will sheet that home to a clever lie that would have overtones of Joseph Goebells claim " that if you tell a lie often enough people will believe it ".   Labor claimed that the Liberals intended to privatize Medicare and relentlessly continued this claim despite emphatic denials.   It became evident that this scare campaign was effective.

Several contested seats will go to preferences and absentee votes will be critical, but there was clarity in how some issues were settled.   It was evident that the voters had not forgiven Tony Windsor or Rob Oakeshott for their defection to Julia Gillard that allowed her to form a minority government.  Both were solidly rejected.

The big winner was Nick Xenophon.  This South Australian Senator has gathered the nucleus of a new political party and will be represented in both houses.  His exact party platform is not clear and it seems that he attracted many voters simply protesting against both the traditional parties who wait to see what emerges.   Whether Xenophon can instill party discipline and achieve a united voting pattern will be critical to its success.

The Senate result will be a big disappointment to the government. Clive Palmer and his disruptive acolytes have been routed, but it is possible Jacqui Lambie may have survived and it seems likely that Derryn Hinch, the " Human Headline " and Pauline Hanson may have won seats.   This illustrates the edgy mood of the electorate when it comes to refugee numbers and the policy in place to control the flow.  Both the Muslim issue and the capacity of this country to absorb the hordes on the move across the world are still very emotive issues.

The voting result in Tasmania was unexpected.   The state had experienced a severe drought and electricity was in short supply because of a break in the cable between Tasmania and Victoria. It is quite possible that such local issues influenced the voting decisions.

What is important is that the voters of Australia have delivered their verdict.  In the days ahead the postal votes, the absentee votes and the sorting of preferences will clarify exactly who gets to sit in both houses of the Australian parliament - and that will deliver the election result.

What happens from there will depend on what policies can be decided and agreed between the disparate people the nation has chosen to govern.