Time For the Downtrodden to Stand Up?

[Written 22 June, Kiama]

With the Senate about to be controlled by the government of the day for the first time in decades, an intriguing development has arisen where the National party is making noises that its support of government (read Liberal party) bills can not to be taken for granted ...

National Party senators are threatening to to block the Federal Governments legislation to outlaw student unions, potentially derailing one of the Prime Minister's ideological ambitions.

This comes on the heals of well publicised National Party concerns about the privatisation of Telstra when rural service standards have been shown to below promised benchmarks.

Could it be that the Nationals, always the junior party in the coallition, are going to use their numbers in the Senate to force a greater say on government policy? Holding the balance of power in the Senate is about to deliver them a lot more influence regarding government policy direction.

Seems that there may be other embarrassing government backdowns on government policy similar to the recent backflip on asylum seeker detention.