It's a little late in a number of ways, but this would be a very good time to start the original Australian Democrats – an alternative to the increasingly tired and clichéd mainstream alternatives, a middle-path party to "keep the bastards honest".

By the time this election campaign wends its weary way to July 2, those not rusted on to the old Liberal/National and Labor/Greens religions are likely to be even more dispirited by the lack of choice offered them: politicians of both stripe who put their party and its pursuit of power first, the nation second.

There are good people on both sides capable of a fair idea of what needs to be done for the long-term benefit of Australia, but who remain subservient to their machines and their fellows - those primarily concerned with keeping their job and aspiring to the spoils of government, plus a few who actually take their party's ritual chanting and cartoon ideologies seriously.

The Senate in particular looks set to remain a dismal place with Malcolm Turnbull's "cunning plan" for a double dissolution unlikely to provide an outcome any more pleasing for the economy than the present lottery load. With the random micro-parties for the chop, or at least a big trim, the main protest vote option is the NXT. No, it's not a fast train or a software start up, it's the unfortunately Xenophon-centred Nick Xenophon Team.