Dick’s made the threat, a few times before, to run against someone important. Dick’s threatened, a few times before, to try to unseat someone important.
It’s too late, this time around, even assuming he means it.
There are too few sitting days between now and the next election to get any substantial changes made to any legislation. If he means to run and gets elected, one vote as a parliamentarian would make little difference. If he means to unseat McCormack, one seat would make little difference even if Dick manages it.
Maybe he’ll fall (yet again) for some task force or other blankets-and-beads promise in return for not carrying through with any threat.
The time for Dick to use his leverage is two years before the election after the one coming up soon. That’s when he should threaten to publicly advocate for a vote for anyone but the major parties unless specified legislative changes are made.
Dick worries that the outcome would be a minority government. He doesn’t understand that if he gets his timing right and uses his leverage properly, he’ll get the changes he wants. Then he’d not have to carry through with his threat.
Very frustrating to see his substantial leverage used so ineffectively.