If I vote for a community independent, will it split the vote or have an unintended outcome such as a hung parliament?
If no party or coalition of parties wins a majority in the House, the result is called a hung parliament. The government can then be formed by a major party joining a coalition with independents or minor parties to achieve the necessary numbers to govern. This is known as a minority government.
Minority governments are not inherently unstable, nor are they entirely negative. They are a fairly common occurrence in politics at all levels of government. Minority governments can be more effective and productive as they force politicians to work together, negotiate and compromise.
In fact, the minority government led by Julia Gillard was the most productive government, having the highest overall rate of legislation passed. This is calculated by taking the total number of acts passed by each Prime Minister and dividing it by the length of their time in office.[1]
The Gillard government accomplished such a successful government because they weren’t prioritising party lines but negotiating with minor parties and Independents.
[1] Evershed, N. (2022, May 4). Will a hung parliament lead to “chaos”? What a Gillard v Morrison comparison reveals. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2022/may/05/will-a-hung-parliament-lead-to-chaos-what-a-gillard-v-morrison-comparison-reveals.