The world has been stood on its head here in Canberra.

The government that insisted it couldn't decide whether same-sex marriage could be legalised contracts out the question to a divided community through a non-compulsory, non-binding vote...and then, with overwhelming support from across the Parliament, is able to introduce without even need of a vote draconian legislation to stop the hate speech it knew would ensue.

Meanwhile, a government that has no settled energy policy publicly tries to bully a large energy company to keep open a clapped-out coal-burning power station because its own lack of a plan is looming as an electoral disaster, tempting blackouts.

Do we even need to point out the Liddell power station was sold by the Liberal NSW government to AGL to free up money for "critical infrastructure" across the state, thus putting it beyond the power of governments to demand anything further from it?