Third parties and independents in the New South Wales state election are being frozen out of parliament, and their voters denied representation, by the two major parties.

 In the Legislative Council (upper house) of the NSW, Labor received 36.26% of the vote and the Liberals and Nationals (a joint ticket) received 30.73% of the vote. The big news from the election is that the minor parties and independents received a mammoth 33.01% of the vote.

UPDATE 10/4/2007 - From the results published on the internet, the Australian Democrats have failed in their bid to gain a seat in the NSW Legislative Council. Trevor Khan, a National Party candiate elected, noted that "ACE was at the count and was distressed." While Outsiders congratulates all the winners from the 2007 NSW election, we would like to express our condolences to Arthur Chesterfield-Evans and applaud him and all the third party candidates that participate in our great democracy! The word on the street is that ACE will run for preselection for the NSW Democrats 2007 Federal Election senate ticket.

 UPDATE 28/3/2007 - ACE received 1.54% of the Legislative Council vote and is in the running for the last seat. Counting of preferences continues all this week.

The 2007 New South Wales election is fast approaching, and Outsiders is particularly envious of the large number of independents and third parties represented in the NSW upper house compared to others around the country. Seven of the twenty-one members up for re-election are from outside the Coalition/Labor duopoly. Most are facing wipeout as the rules have been made unfairer since 1999. One NSW MLC up for re-election is the Democrats' Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans, and Outsiders is pleased to bring you an short interview with him.