A Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer who will be a guest speaker at a political forum at CSU in Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday 23 March is predicting the NSW election could be an acid test for the role of independents in Australian politics. Dr Troy Whitford, from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU, is keeping a close watch on the performance of independent candidates in regional electorates. "The federal scene may have people second guessing the role of independents and their ability to contribute to good government," he said. With widespread predictions of a Coalition victory in the Saturday 26 March poll, Dr Whitford says the makeup of the NSW Legislative Council could be interesting. "It really depends on how much of a mandate voters want to give the prospective coalition government," he said. "A new government won't want to be stuck in negotiations with minor parties and independents." Read more here.