Australia's next Prime Minister is Julia Gillard courtesy of Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott -- two conservative blokes from the bush.

Congratulations Julia.

Now what?

Gillard has snagged victory, now how to use it constructively when you have only just scraped in with bruises and stitches and a mild concussion?

Possibly the day to day challenge is easier now given Bob Katter's quixotic decision earlier today to back the losing team after sending every signal for a fortnight that he wouldn't.

But with or without Katter in the mix, minority government is going to be hard yards. The Greens will wedge Labor from the Left, lobbing conscience votes on gay marriage and other uncomfortable things. Tony Abbott will do what he does best, throwing bombs right, left and centre, applying his aggressive simplicity to complex problems. Judging by today's performance, Rob Oakeshott will struggle to stop talking for the next term. How will anyone get a word in?

Let's be honest, who would actually want to be Prime Minister given this result? The last two weeks have given the country a small glimpse of the future and it's reasonably chaotic. As Oakeshott said frankly a moment ago, no-one has a mandate in this parliament. Think about it. Not brilliant is it if you actually want anything done.

Maybe it's time for a bit of chaos in Canberra. Maybe chaos can counterbalance the corrosion of spin, and press reset on a national political debate which has become little more than a shameless race to the bottom. The major parties deserve today's strange end-point, but I'm not sure the voters do.

Gillard wouldn't be inclined to view her circumstances negatively; successful politicians are hardwired to seek power regardless of cost.

And if we strip away the 'new paradigm', the spin, the self-interest and the barking madness of this immediate 24 hours, Gillard has no choice but to make every post a winner for the next three years. No self indulgence. No tantrums. No woulda coulda shoulda. It just has to work. Or else. And she knows it.