Soooo. Where were you when you heard the news? Or are you sitting in front of your computer hearing it now? Me, I was in Melbourne shopping centre (Chadstone, they have GAP kids but I digress….) sitting in one of those lounge-ish areas streaming ABC24 live coverage of the independents’s press conference on my phone.
Tony Abbott has phoned Prime Minister Gillard to congratulate her.
Mr Oakeshott warned, “This is not a mandate for any government… this parliament is going to be different.”
Its the slimmest ever margin in the 150-member House of Representatives, with Julia Gillard’s Labor government gaining the support of 76 MP’s. The coalition has 74.
And here is the press conference from Julia and Wayne Swann after they learned they had been handed power by the independents:
Some “Independent” background from MM political editor Julie Cowdroy:
What have the independents been deciding for the past 16 days?
They are deciding which major party they will give their support to. This support means that the independents vow to support the party of their choice in terms of confidence motions and supply. In the minority government situation that Australia faces, there is a chance that the weakened government could face a “no confidence” motion. This is where the party in Opposition moves for the House to vote for “no confidence” if they feel the Government is not governing properly. If a no confidence motion were put to the House by the Opposition, then the independents will not vote against the government that they have chosen. Supply is where bills are put forward that are to do with the budget. It is important in managing the economy that these bills be passed to keep the country running and the independents pledge they will not block supply to ensure the economy keeps ticking over.
The independents are also deciding on which government can best represent what they believe to be in the nation’s interest. We have seen Rob Oakeshott call for parliamentary reform and had both parties sign off on his request. You can read about the reforms here. Katter has a 20 point plan including no carbon tax or mining tax. You can read more about his requests here. Windsor is asking for … well, not quite sure what he wants.
Greens’ MP Adam Bandt has pledged his support to Labor in terms of confidence and supply, as well as other concessions such as a climate change committee and a parliamentary debate on Afghanistan. You can read more about the ALP/Greens deal here.
Tony Crook is the West Australian MP who is a member of the Nationals who took power from Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey. He has pledged his support to the Coalition but will sit on the cross benches. This means he won’t attend Nationals’ or Coalition party room meetings, but has promised his support in terms of confidence and supply.
What will the role of the independents and Adam Bandt be after a decision has been reached?
They will continue as they have done in previous parliaments and scrutinise legislation. However in terms of confidence and supply they will support their chosen government. In terms of the new parliamentary reforms, the independents, Opposition and Greens’ member can put bills to the house and have them costed (couldn’t do that previously) so that the House is more informed about certain pieces of legislation. Also we will see some interesting pieces of legislation introduced by Adam Bandt such as gay marriage and euthanasia which may lead to more conscience votes (where MPs don’t vote along party lines, but rather as their conscience would see fit).
Will the new government have the power to actually do anything or will independents continue to have the same amount of power?
The new government will have limited power compared to what they have been used to having. The new reforms mean the legislature (parliament) have more powers than they used to have. It used to be a very Executive focused structure, but now the rest of the parliament will have more agency. Also, there is a stronger chance for new and interesting pieces of legislation to be introduced by the independents and the Greens. Things will take longer to pass through the HOR but there will be more examination on bills, and don’t forget that this scrutiny will continue in the Senate where the Greens hold the balance of power.
How do you feel?
Here is Bob Katter last night…
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What democratic societies should learn lessen from Australia election 2010:
1.What productive action has PM Julia Gillard in office 100 days?
Who behind of soaring rents ever stop that fuel city's poverty for so many years? Found the answer yourself now?
The Australia historical hung parliament demonstrated the big gap of inequality society between the small educated elite groups who get highest pay by talk feast used mouth work controlling live essential resources of the country in every social platforms against the biggest less educated groups who get lowest pay by hands work squeezed by discriminative policies that sucking live blood from individual poor/less wealth off?
Voters’ voices do not hear?
Voters’ pains do not ease?
Voters’ cries do not care?
1.Poverty will not be phase out if no fairer resources to share;
2.Illness will not be reducing if no preventive measurement in real action;
3.Agriculture will not be revitalize if urbanization continuing its path;
4.Housing affordability will not be reach for young generation if government continues cashing from young generation debt by eating out the whole cake of education export revenue without plough back;
5.Manufacture industry will shrink smaller and smaller if no new elements there to power up to survive;
6.Employability will not in the sustainable mode for so long as manufacture and agriculture not going to boost.
Ma kee wai
(Member of Inventor Association Queensland since 1993)