Weeks later,I was sworn into parliament as the first independent and first woman to win the seat of Wentworth in its history. The government had lost its majority.

WhenJulia Banks left the Liberal Party the very next day,those of us on the crossbench suddenly held the proverbial “balance of power”. I was asked repeatedly about this balance of power and what I intended to do with it.

I reflected on this concept of power,and thought it was more about finding a balance between the policies of right and left,a centrist position that would support good ideas,vote against bad legislation and provide thoughtful and constructive input to improve proposed legislation. The power of balance. That’s what I calledmy memoir.

As history will record,we were also able to draft and pass legislation (which became known as theMedevac legislation) that provided a humanitarian solution for refugees held in Australian-controlled indefinite offshore detention to receive necessary and urgent medical attention,mindful of protecting Australia’s national security.

I am often perplexed and annoyed at the political journalists who skip over that minority government of the 45th parliament,yet it was a pivotal moment in Australian politics. It was an exemplar of what a sensible,centrist crossbench could achieve with the balance of power.

That byelection win in 2018 also spurred other independent campaigns in urban electorates to have a go,withZali Steggall winning in former prime minister Tony Abbott’s seat of Warringah in 2019. By 2022,far more community campaigns had organised,resulting in 10 independents being elected,along with four from the Greens and one each from the micro-parties Centre Alliance (Rebekha Sharkie) and Katter’s Australian Party (Bob Katter).

The potential for power in the hands of an even larger crossbench could no longer be ignored by the major parties or the mainstream media.

The potential for an expanded crossbench with the balance of power is something of a double-edged sword. Everything depends on who has the balance of power,what their policies are,which major party they will support to form government,what they expect in return and what influence they will exert.

There are a number of possibilities. A majority Labor or Coalition government could still emerge,depending on how the campaign tracks,or either major party may be in a position to form minority government.

The Greens could retain or lose the seats they gained at the last election. I would not be surprised if Adam Bandt was left on his lonesome in the House of Representatives again,given the party’s disastrous performance over the past three years. They came across as caring very little about the issues important to Australians,with antics that made them look more like a bunch of radical left-wing university students. Labor has ruled out forming a government with Greens’ support.

The community independents will be pressed to say who they would support in a hung parliament. As independents,they will,unsurprisingly,make independent decisions based on the will of their electorates. It is likely some will wait until they see the lay of the land before they declare their position. This rankles with the major parties,which survive through predictability and party loyalty.

It also rankles some voters who may demand that candidates show their hands before they commit their vote.Their electorates will have had the opportunity to get to know their independent candidates and their views and policies over the course of the campaign. The flow of preferences in those seats will also give those candidates,if they are elected,an insight into what their electorates would want them to do.

For some,the election of a community independent is seen as a form of insulation against too much power in the hands of a major political party. The old,overused mantra of parties being “given a mandate” to do everything in their policy platform doesn’t always sit well with voters who have opted for the “least-worst” candidate. Plenty of habitual party voters don’t support every element of a party’s agenda,either. They might prefer one party’s platform over another,but that does not mean they want to give one party carte blanche to deliver every policy,unchanged or unchallenged.

That is where a sensible crossbench could provide nuance.

As the campaign unfolds,we will develop a clearer picture of the potential role an expanded crossbench of independents may have in the 48th parliament.

The emergence of more and more credible community independent campaigns is a sign that more and more Australians are actively engaging in the political process,not just turning up on election day with a sense of inevitability about the outcome,but thinking about the power of their voice and their vote in determining our collective future.

Kerryn Phelps is a doctor and the former member for Wentworth.