Independents will need to decide what they stand for and who they will support

Independents or stooges? That’s the doubt Chief Minister Andrew Barr planted in voters’ minds this week.

He was responding to the latest independent grouping to throw its hat in the ring for October’s Legislative Assembly election.

With a pedigree out of Pocock and the Teals, Independents for Canberra promises to put the ‘sensible centre’ onto the crossbenches to revive grassroots democracy and restore integrity, but at this stage, little else.

It has one candidate, Thomas Emerson, an adviser to Senator David Pocock and son of former federal Labor minister Craig Emerson, and a director, barrister Clare Carnell, and yes, another familiar name to Canberrans, being the daughter of former Liberal Chief Minister Kate Carnell.

It’s a crazy, mixed-up political world these days, mainly due to the state of the Liberal Party federally and here in the territory.

Only last year Ms Carnell was campaigning with Liberals for Yes in the Voice referendum.

You get the progressive vibe, but until there are policies and, if Mr Barr has his way, a commitment about whom they would support to be the government, voters are not really any wiser.

Mr Barr has a point.

The sensible centre could mean Independents for Canberra fall either way when and if the crunch came in the Assembly if they managed to meet their seat target in each electorate.

Majority government is an elusive beast. The best bet for Elizabeth Lee to become Chief Minister would be to win the support of any independent on the crossbench, so people should want to know just who they are voting for, Mr Barr says.

With the Pocock template and cachet, the right candidates and a preference deal, Independents for Canberra could frighten all the parties.

Of course, other independents are manoeuvring, too, so they could help each other out or form an alliance.

But while general talk about a tired unresponsive government attracts attention, independents of any colour will have to, at some point, declare where they stand on key issues, particularly the great divider, light rail.

It will define how the ACT of the future will evolve, and you will either have to be for it or agin it.

Independents, by definition, won’t have uniform views across the issues, and while parties have their differences, when it comes to the polls, they take to voters a set of policies that their members have agreed to.

Voters will also need to know what the goal of any independent is: to be an MLA representing constituents and voting on the merits of legislation or overtly seeking to gain the balance of power or work within government as a minister, as Michael Moore did?

History has shown that independents have a tough time in the Hare Clark system, and while the Senate is different, not many gave Senator Pocock much chance of toppling Zed Seselja, including yours truly.

I thought he would go close but that actual victory would be a bridge too far.

However, a well-organised and funded campaign, a Liberal Party thoroughly on the nose, and Mr Seselja’s personal politics gave Senator Pocock a famous victory.

A hard-working and competent performance in the Senate has enhanced his reputation and cemented his position.

That is the model Independents for Canberra, if they can inspire support and attract candidates, will try to emulate.

If anything, their presence in the field will keep the parties on their toes and eliminate any semblance of complacency in the government ranks.

The question is, are there enough Canberrans willing to ditch their party allegiance?

It’s going to be an interesting Assembly if they do.