Bob Katter has announced he will back the Coalition.

The independent powerbrokers yesterday hammered out a deal to bring in historic parliamentary reforms.

The trio garnered bipartisan support to overhaul question time, bolster the independence of the Speaker, establish a parliamentary budget office and strengthen the committee system.

A crossbencher or Opposition member would chair one of the most powerful committees responsible for public accounts and audits under the reforms.

The Independents had one outstanding issue last night, calling on incoming Nationals MP Tony Crook to guarantee he would not block supply or support a no confidence motion against a Coalition government.

Mr Crook suggested he would act like an Independent who had ''switched a light on in a few people's heads'', Independent Rob Oakeshott said yesterday. ''We cannot form a government even if we wanted to with Mr Abbott ... [if] we don't get a resolution to that so that we can make a judgment call that the nation is waiting for.''

The three independents are in this position after Australians failed to deliver a clear result in the election more than two weeks ago.

Ms Gillard can count on 74 votes - two shy of a majority in the House of Representatives after incoming Greens MP Adam Bandt and Independent Andrew Wilkie sided with Labor.

Mr Abbott can only muster 73 votes if the incoming Western Australian MP Mr Crook supports the Coalition.

Last night, Mr Crook pledged to support the Coalition to form a minority government but vowed to sit on the cross benches until the party committed to boosting funding for mining regions.

Check back after 3pm for live coverage of the independents' announcement.