Why should John Howard and John Anderson get all the fun of having their very own coalition? The Greens and Democrats could form an alliance like the Liberals-Nationals, that way when the Coalition no longer has control of the senate the Green Democrats (or Democratic Greens, whichever works best) could hold the balance of power and really make the government work hard to make sure its laws actually benefit the Australian people.

I don't know too much about the rules for this, but if there was an alliance maybe both parties could qualify for official party status (the Democrats could keep theirs and the Greens would gain theirs).

Plus this way each party can keep its own official leader, but the Democrats get the benefit of the vast amount of publicity Bob Brown seems to generate and the Greens the benefit of the publicity the Democrats create.

Unfortunately, I think both parties would be reluctant to do this. For the Greens, it might be seen as selling out and moving more towards mainstream politics and the Democrats might be upset because they may be seen as becoming more extreme. Plus of course, people on both sides have been slagging each other off lately, that never helps...

Laura (lauracastle@gmail.com)

There is a slight problem with what you are proposing -"party status" is given to Senate parties with 5 or more members of the same party not from a coalition of parties. For example the Nationals have often been part of a state government or opposition coalition without actually having official party status. In government they are often given at least one portfolio - which gives them access to staff and resources. In opposition it is entirely another matter.