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Australian Greens Announce Agreement to Support Gillard's Labor Party
Australia’s Greens Party signed an accord with the Labor Party ensuring their support for Prime Minister Julia Gillard should she form the next government in exchange for the creation of a climate change committee to establish a price on carbon.
The accord would also see the party working with Labor to ensure passage of the national budget, Greens leader Bob Brown told reporters in Canberra today. The Greens have also asked for a parliamentary debate on Australia’s troop deployment in Afghanistan and restrictions on political donations.
“We have signed an agreement for the continuation of the Gillard government,” Brown said. “This agreement is a replacement of both the Labor and Greens commitments to dealing with climate change.”
The pact adds an extra seat in parliament for Gillard and Labor as they attempt to form a government following a deadlocked national election on Aug. 21. Labor has so far won 71 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, five short of the 76 required to govern.
The agreement is not a coalition, Brown said. Rather, the accord delivers Labor an extra vote on the budget and no- confidence motions. Gillard hasn’t commented yet.
Climate Commission
The climate commission will be made up of lawmakers and scientists and will provide advice on the best way to charge polluters for emissions. Gillard drew criticism in July when she delayed climate change action in the world’s driest inhabited continent until after 2012.
“We have set up a process that will set up a carbon price and tackle climate change,” Brown said. “It will be inclusive and there will be other parties involved.”
With 82 percent of the vote counted, Tony Abbott’s Liberal- National coalition holds 73 seats in the lower house to Labor’s 71 with one division still undecided, according to the Australian Electoral Commission website at 11.52 a.m. Sydney time today.
Independents Robert Oakeshott, Tony Windsor, Bob Katter and Andrew Wilkie are in Canberra for talks with the main parties as they try to decide who to back. The lawmakers are scheduled to meet Treasury Secretary Ken Henry today.
To contact the reporter on this story: Gemma Daley in Canberra at gdaley@bloomberg.net
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