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 Libs MP says independents will back ALP 

Libs MP says independents will back ALP

06 Sep, 2010 01:13 PM
Liberal MP Warren Entsch has reportedly predicted the three rural independents will back a Labor minority government.

Entsch said he believed the trio had already made their intentions clear, according to an AAP report, which said the Member for Leichhardt believed Bob Katter, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor, all former Nationals, would announce their support for Labor in the coming days.

The three Independent MPs spent the weekend analysing the information they gleaned over the past fortnight of talks.

Labor revealed Prime Minister Julia Gillard had signed on to a list of parliamentary reforms proposed by Independent MP Rob Oakeshott, but the Coalition has expressed concerns about some details in a move that has the potential to further delay an outcome.

Mr Oakeshott and Queensland MP Bob Katter spent the weekend in Canberra, while New England MP Tony Windsor returns to parliament today after a few days back in his electorate.

They have no more formal meetings scheduled and after several days of consideration hope to make and reveal their decision today, but say it could come tomorrow.

Labor, which made deals with the Greens and Independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie last week, needs two more votes to reach the 76 needed to form government, while the Coalition - which has 73 seats - needs all three.

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Date: Newest first | Oldest first
Tony Abbott has NEVER been preferred Prime Minister...I wouldn't be suprised if they back Labor to form Government....watch the Liberal's and Nationals stamp their feet and jump up & down.
Posted by dusty, 6/09/2010 2:16:04 PM, on The Canberra Times
How hard can this be for these three to make up their mind? I suspect that the real problem is that they are more concerned about retaining their tenure over their electorates in three years time, than they are about the Government of the country today and are trying to decide which decision will shore up that longer term position.
Posted by Lara, 6/09/2010 2:51:21 PM, on The Canberra Times
Under the constitution provisions Tony Abbott CANNOT be Prime Minister in a hung parliament. Gillard remains PM and head of government and would be told by the GG to try and make her government work. If it was not working, after a reasonable time frame, she could come back and ask for a dissolution and a new election but the earliest this could happen is January 2011.
Posted by JohnD, 6/09/2010 8:13:26 PM, on The Canberra Times
I agree with Lara. But polling from their electorates shows a preference for either a coalition govt or another election. Of course, either way, those three numbskulls will be out at the next election. I suspect they are weighing up which party is more likely to stay for the full three years. I also suspect they have a very warped sense of their own worth at the moment. The only people who care about these individuals are the politicians trying to brown nose them to form a minority govt. Any public affection wore off the day after the election
Posted by capital, 7/09/2010 9:29:03 AM, on The Canberra Times

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Warren Entsch says the independent MPs will support Labor. Photo: Robert Rough
Warren Entsch says the independent MPs will support Labor. Photo: Robert Rough
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POLL
Q: Which would you prefer, a minority government or a fresh Federal election?

Minority government
(34.3%)

A new election
(65.7%)

Total Votes: 1567
Poll Date: 06 September, 2010

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