Independents speak up for a better parliament

Jessica Wright Question time will be dramatically transformed and the rambling questions and answers of MPs curbed under parliamentary reforms negotiated by the three independent MPs who hold the key to a Labor or...

Apologetic Abbott on heels of 'the devil'

Dylan Welch TWO phone calls in two days have been made by the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, to the key independents to apologise for a series of phone calls from overenthusiastic Liberals.

Abbott apologises to independents

Dylan Welch Tony Abbott is fighting to contain the damage from a series of phone calls by over-enthusiastic Liberal politicians to key independents.

Independents attack Abbott's defiance on Treasury costings

Two of the key independents have criticised Tony Abbott's refusal to submit his party's election policies to Treasury for analysis.

Abbott has hobbled independents, says Windsor

Negotiations to form a federal government have started like "a race with a bucket of concrete around one foot", independent MP Tony Windsor says.

Queensland gets its first Green

Tony Moore Brisbane environmental lawyer Larissa Waters looks set to be Queensland’s first Greens Senator after a concerted Green rush through the Sunshine State.

Labor bloodbath in Queensland

Tony Moore Swing of nearly 10 per cent against the government in the Sunshine State sees LNP pick up a swag of seats.

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And so it all comes down to this...

Mark Davis and Jacqueline Maley Abbott has more cause to be triumphant than Gillard obviously, and it sounds like the mood at the Coalition party is decidedly upbeat.

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Election race a nail-biter

Australia is heading towards a hung Parliament after damaging swings in NSW and Queensland.

Fight turns ugly in Lindsay

Yuko Narushima Labor has denied employing dirty campaign tactics in the marginal electorate of Lindsay where candidate David Bradbury is at risk of losing his seat.

Three boats a year our target, says Abbott

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has set a Coalition government the target of limiting unauthorised boat arrivals to three a year, saying he deserves to be ‘‘very harshly judged’’ if it fails.

Editorials back Coalition in key states

Paul Tatnell Newspaper editorials have soured Labor's chances at winning office, with News Limited newspapers in the crucial states of NSW and Queensland pledging their support for the Coalition.

'I wanted to marry Tony after 48 hours'

Georgia Waters In a nine-minute interview with 4BC's Michael Smith, Margie Abbott painted a picture of her husband - perhaps surprising to some - of a man who likes nothing more than watching the ABC with a...

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Maxine's voice marginal as Bennelong bug stops the throats

Paul Tatnell Star Labor recruit Maxine McKew is suffering every candidate's worst nightmare - she has lost her voice.

Townsville to Brisbane, via Perth: Gillard travels the long way to forum

Courtney Trenwith PM jets from North Queensland to Brisbane - with a pit stop in Perth.

Poll puts Gillard ahead - but only by four seats

Phillip Coorey Labor is clinging to a four-seat majority just three days from the federal election, according to 28,000 voters sampled in the most comprehensive public opinion poll undertaken in Australian politics.

Unplugged spin betrays power of Prime Minister's speech

Tony Wright When is a written speech not a written speech? When it's Prime Minister Julia Gillard's address to the government's election campaign launch, apparently.

Need for speed in battle of broadband

Tim Barlass BUILDING the National Broadband Network on schedule will entail the connection of fibre cables to a staggering 4000 homes a day under Labor Party plans.

Gillard in hot seat on tax, refugees and Rudd

As part of its election coverage, The Age invited both leaders to participate in question and answer sessions. Julia Gillard came to Media House on Thursday evening. This is an edited transcript.