Welcome to the misere election - no winners and many deals

This article was published in The Sydney Morning Herald 11 September 2010

It is three weeks ago today that nothing happened. And then it did. Well, sort of. We have a government. Or do we? Did Labor win or lose? Did the Coalition lose or win? Welcome to the misere election. Power, at the moment, is like a roulette ball spinning around the giant roulette wheel that is Parliament House.

Roulette (from the French for "little wheel") is also known as "Rulet", which rather sounds like a Kiwi power grab (I'm hoping to rule, eh). Both are accurate for this Parliament. The little wheels are turning the big wheels, and it feels kind of silly. Oh, and it could always land on green.

The last few days of this production have been fascinating. Parliament House turned into a "happening". New productions were springing up all over the place. There were a number of stages. The House of Windsor, with its wise, grandfatherly Chesterfields, was one location. Rob Oakeshott's temple to casual decency was another. And then there was Bob, but I'll get to him.