Does anyone reading this live in Higgins?

If so, I urge you to vote #1 Fiona Patten in the by-election on Saturday, 5 December. I don't know her personally, and I realise that the name of her party, the Australian Sex Party, makes it sound as if she's a loopy one-issue candidate. But her party's platform looks as sensible as anything I've ever seen from a political party. We certainly do need a voice in Canberra against the unremitting wowserism that has become so prevalent in Australian politics. I don't support every single item in the party's platform, but it makes good sense overall. I agree with the general direction it indicates.

If Patten and her group seem too "out there", consider the Australian Democrats. They can really do with some votes.

Whatever you do, don't vote for Clive Hamilton, even if (like me) you agree with him about the urgency of responding to climate change. Send a strong message to the Greens by putting him last when you mark your ballot. It is a very disappointing act by the Greens to field a social conservative candidate who is, among things, a leading proponent of internet censorship. We expect the Greens to be among the guardians of free speech in Australia, not among its attackers. It doesn't matter how articulate he may or may not be about environmental issues, the choice of Hamilton as a candidate was a monumental misjudgment. I hope the Greens will be made to answer for it, and that they'll be wiser next time.