For the rest of us the question is whether having our MPs as part of an unprecedented Coalition minority government strengthens or erodes our influence in Canberra.

The political leverage of a marginal electorate and the campaign grab bag it can deliver disappeared in Farrer and Indi on Saturday with the ALP vote.

Their candidates in Farrer and Indi fell by the wayside, Christian Emmery in part a victim of a NSW distaste for the party and Zuvele Leschen going backwards against a Victorian trend that favoured Labor.

The rookie and recycled candidate simply failed to win over voters.

In Farrer, 10,000 people turned their back on Labor.

Yesterday the candidates blamed a lack of resources — people and money.

But others with smaller budgets and far fewer resources at their disposal made the greatest impression.

The impressive vote for Independents sends a clear message to not just Labor but the two major parties.

Voters are increasingly looking for an alternative.

Many in this campaign have expressed their disappointment and anger at the bickering between Labor and Liberal.

They want ideas and values — something to measure, a promise to uphold.

Voters will now look to the re-elected Liberals Sophie Mirabella and Sussan Ley to live up to their promises, including a cancer centre.

There is a growing likelihood that Tony Abbott will lead a minority Coalition government with the two Border MPs part of the ministry.

It would be the best result for the Border and should be a position of strength: a chance to voice the concerns of the electorate and win funding for the cancer centre and other major projects.

But Australia is entering unchartered waters, a minority government at the beck and call of Independents who will have their own priorities.

A government, whether Labor or Liberal, that will face the prospect of another election at every turn.

A period of constant campaigning to win over the voters of seats that decide who governs the nation — the marginals.

It is now possible that the strength of Mr Abbott’s focused and controlled campaign combined with Labor’s apathy to the electorates may have watered down our argument, further robbing the region of its bargaining power.

Only time will tell.