This has been, after all, one of the more fractured parliaments in recent history.

The problems started not long after Coalition leader Ted Baillieu claimed victory by the narrowest of margins late in 2010.

His government was engulfed in a controversy over its involvement in high-level Victoria Police management battles which ultimately undermined Mr Baillieu’s position.

Less than two years into the premiership, Mr Baillieu was gone, replaced by long-time regional stalwart Denis Napthine.

Dr Napthine’s ascension coincided with greater stability in government ranks, except one – rogue MP Geoff Shaw, a former Liberal Party member turned independent whose vote was central to just about every major legislative direction. 

The government, and the Opposition for that matter, attempted to use Mr Shaw as political ammunition which saw lots of shooting but few hits.

Labor, for its part, has been closely linked to union activity and the scuttlebutt which developed following the disappearance of a Fairfax Media journalist’s dictaphone from an ALP function.

This week’s allegations that a tawdry pornography swapping program was active in the office of a former employee of the premier’s office was the final twist.

There will be some who point a finger at the media for concentrating on issues not central to public policy, but that’s much too simplistic.

The investment in political media manipulation aligns heavily with the change in consumer habits to create an endless 24-hour cycle.

Parties are aware that potential policy announcements need a hook or, otherwise have the potential to be overshadowed by more readable, or viewable, material.

Mostly, it all seems a world away from Ballarat.

Primarily, the issues which have the biggest impact in regional Victoria are those which people live and breathe every day. It’s about jobs, building communities, safety and liveability.

There’s a little more than one month before election day and, according to those who make predictions for a living, three seats in the Ballarat region remain central to the outcome.

So, with parliament finished the spotlight will turn to the performance of the government in delivering for Ballarat in the past years.

So what’s the best outcome for Ballarat?

It’s an election result which provides certainty and one where we can be assured that we’ll get our fair share of the funding pie.

We expect it will be a result which will continue to drive important projects for the city and helps create a sense of positivity about the future.

This is what the next month should be all about – policies and a pitch which goes beyond the spin of the news cycle and provides full and frank details about what the next government and members can do.

Maybe the final word should go to Mr Baillieu, who departed parliament this week: “I leave as I arrived convinced that politics must be a quest for responsibility, not just a game about the pursuit of authority, power, position or privilege”.

andrew.eales@fairfaxmedia.com.au