If Bernardi wants to split and form a new party , he should do the right thing then and resign from the Libs and the Senate and start off heading up his own party and come out with these so called Conservative policies that are supposed to be so "different" to the Libs current policies. The Libs had that senate ticket elected, Bernardi happened to be the candidtate, it would be interesting to guage the actual level of support for Bernardi as against the no 1 spot on the Libs senate ticket, he may may be in the senate by virtue of his place on the ticket. How would he go in the Reps ???
Same for any other member of the senate that splits from the party ticket they were elected on, resign and stand at the next election, or is the lure of the red leather seats too much to give up to principles.
It still escapes me how any of these dummy spitters expect the govt to get bills through the senate in the present parliament except by the current method, negotiating them through, thumping your fist and being strident may appease some of the hardheads but still won't get the legislation through.
