Related News:
Abbott Asks Australian Independents for Support as Election Choice Nears
Australian Liberal-National leader Tony Abbott pleaded for support for his coalition from three key independent lawmakers, who may make an announcement on who they’ll back to form a government as early as tomorrow.
Abbott and Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard have been courting the independents since the Aug. 21 election ended in deadlock to gain the 76 seats needed. Labor moved a step closer to victory last week when the Greens Party, which will control the balance of power in the upper house Senate, formed an alliance with Gillard.
“A Labor-Green alliance spells doom for regional Australia’s economic base,” Abbott said in an open letter to the independents, according to news.com.au. “The slightest move towards Green defense and foreign policies would put the American alliance at risk.”
As Australians enter their third week without a result from the federal election, a weekend poll showed voters preferred Labor to form a minority government. Gillard’s chances were also buoyed today when Tony Windsor, one of the key independents, indicated he supports the incumbent government’s broadband policy over that of the coalition, according to The Sunday Age.
About 47 percent of 1,134 voters polled throughout Australia between Aug. 27 and 29 want Gillard returned to power, with 39 percent supporting Abbott and 14 percent undecided, according to the Newspoll survey conducted for the Australian newspaper, released yesterday.
Labor holds 71 seats in the 150-member lower house, while Abbott’s coalition has 73 seats, according to the Australian Electoral Commission website after 87 percent of the national vote had been counted.
Vote Counting
Gillard last week won the support of Greens member Adam Bandt and independent Andrew Wilkie, bringing her total seats to 73.
Windsor, Robert Oakeshott and Bob Katter have been briefed by government officials on each side’s plans to manage the A$1.2 trillion ($1.1 trillion) economy.
Vote counting will continue tomorrow, Australian Electoral Commission spokesman Phil Diak said by phone Sept. 3. One month from the election is usually needed to complete counting and declare outcomes in Parliament’s two houses, he said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jason Scott in Perth at jscott14@bloomberg.net
Rate These Stories
Rate this Page