Discredited, distrusted, even despised, after last Saturday's election the polling industry in Australia has reached its nadir. It would be hard to imagine how things could get worse. The reason I write is to ensure this doesn't happen again and suggest a series of initiatives to clean up and rehabilitate our industry and the health of our democracy.

First, we should not underestimate the importance of polling in the functioning of our democracy. It's acknowledged the media is the fourth estate. Polling is the fifth. It’s the process in modern democracies that provides the public and the voters with a feedback mechanism to have their say. If this process isn't working properly – and what's been reported back is not a true reflection of community opinion – we as a democracy are in serious trouble.