There is a big difference between a few independents and a whole parliament of them. Because of the lack of responsibility and accountability, hardly any election promises would ever be implemented - that is not democracy.

Besides, it's not party membership that I'm criticising - it's the culture of obedience, insincerity and toadying that hampers any attempts to hold actual debate.

But we have real examples of represenatives democracy in parliament right now - whatever you think of the politics of Katter, Windsor, Oakeshott and Wilkie, they seem to genuinely fight for the needs of their communties and aren't controlled by backroom pollsters. MPs should be about people, not parties. Italy's woes are mostly economic, there are functional models of multiparty, or even post-party, democracies all over the world.

Political parties provide stability and at least some hope that election promises will be honored. A parliament composed entirely of independents can promise the Moon and deliver nothing. We could end up with very frequent changes of government like in Italy. I suggest our current party system is better than this.

I didn't say that the interests of the electorate never fit with the party line, just that an MP's priorities should lie with the former rather the than latter. The lower house was envisioned as a genuine house of representatives; not a bloated, homogeneous duocracy. Of course parties act disproportionately in the interests of marginal seats, that's precisely the problem. As for the balancing function of parliament, I agree entirely – but that can't happen when parochial interests (other than those of Sydney's Western suburbs) never leave the party room.

There is a false premise here: that parties never act in the interests of electorates. They certainly do in marginal seats. Also, parochial interests need to be balanced against national interests - this is why we have a Parliament.

There is a false premise here: that parties never act in the interests of electorates. They certainly do in marginal seats. Also, parochial interests need to be balanced against national interests - this is why we have a Parliament.