Democrats senator, Andrew Bartlett writes:

“… the make up of the Senate after the election will be influential on what sort of laws Australia ends up with in the event Mr Rudd gets elected.” – Bartlett Diaries

The Coalition has had the balance of power in the Senate since the 2004 election. The Senate has 76 seats and only half (38) will be up for election this year.
With such a small number of seats to be decided, and most of the country really unaware of the role of the Senate, there probably will be little change – the Coalition will most likely keep control.

I believe that we really need the coalition to loose one or two seats so the balance of power is left with the Democrats, Family First and the Greens. Otherwise the Liberal/National coalition will still have the final say on any new legislation the Labor government may introduce – including IR changes, nuclear energy and environmental conservation. This week, a lot of people are probably saying Mr Heffernan should be the one to boot out (because of his lovely remarks about Julia Gillard). Unfortunately his term doesn’t end until 2011.

So who cares about Howard and Rudd, who is going to win in the Senate?

ag: Australian Democrats, Heffernan, Senate, 2007 election