This is Australia’s second climate change election.

So says John Hepburn on our Rooted blog today. He’s reading the tea leaves on the giant Greens gains and what they mean.

Meanwhile, Climate Spectator’s Giles Parkinson suggests the two main parties are still not listening:

“They speak and act as if the one fifth of the electorate who either voted for someone else, or who didn’t bother voting at all, holds no relevance, or did so because of ‘cabinet leaks’.”

Voters concerns on climate change might have a little something to do with it. But how can a hung parliament succeed in pursing any meaningful action on the issue when a newly elected Rudd government with an unprecedented mandate failed so spectacularly?

Government gridlock may not be any good for market signals for investment. But as Parkinson points out today, two of the three conservative independents have thought carefully about climate change (notable exception of Bob “crocodiles on the roof” Katter there) and all three support renewable and clean energy.

Insert newly elected member for Melbourne Adam Bandt into the mix (and maybe Andrew Wilkie) and we’ve got ourselves a conversation.