In the lead up to the federal election many of us were left feeling the major parties had tried to say as little as possible about the significance of the task before us in relation to climate change: the level of effort required to keep global warming below a 2–3 degree C rise and the global consequences even if we do. But in an election result where leadership is now grassroots up thanks to the independents, parliament should work more on the local government model. By Bill Forrest.