As the crossbench grapples with its newfound power, new members also face long days, media scrutiny and a steep learning curve.
Parliament’s crossbench, the largest in recent history, was elected on promises of transparency, morality and doing things differently. The 16 MPs — 10 of whom are new to Parliament — stress their independence from one another but are united on issues such as climate action and the establishment of a federal integrity commission.
Their new role is a difficult one. Despite parliamentary training to get them across procedures, they’ve faced an uphill battle, from culture shock at the way fellow politicians speak and interact with one another, the lack of a code of conduct for parliamentarians, having their staffing levels slashed, and issues with getting questions asked and answered during question time.
“There’s no place anywhere else in this country that you would be in a meeting and have people yelling at each other across the front of you while you’re trying to talk,” North Sydney member Kylea Tink told Crikey. “It’s a really intense environment.”
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