The Senate is potentially facing its greatest challenge since its creation in 1867
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And potentially it's not. Doesn't make any difference.  It's not going anywhere. 

Before our current PM decided that he was only going to appoint "independent" Senators (from a list compiled by "liberally" high-minded and independent individuals appointed by himself) thereby releasing them from political accountability, the Senate was fairly harmless.  Now with the political breaks off, it's a "potentially" dangerous, unelected and unaccountable institution vulnerable to all the pitfalls of any other political body.