Our voting system gives us the freedom to do that and it would be stupid not to take advantage of it. Voting for independent or minors is a good thing as long as you also preference the parties that will actually get elected sensibly. It is important to recognize that while the mining industry can buy just about anyone, there are plenty of important things for average people that the mining companies don’t give a shit about which can make a huge difference.

These industry groups are powerful, like drug cartels, the gambling industry or other organised crime. If some idealistic independent is voted in with a balance of power these guys can make them an offer too good to ignore. They can be set for life with a post political job. They can give jobs to family. They can fund campaigns. And that is all the stuff in public. Look at some of the shit they do overseas and its clearly an ethics free zone.