Independents hold the key to power in Australia
Updated on 22 August 2010
As the leaders of Australia's two major political parties negotiate power deals following this weekend's deadlocked election, Network 10 reporter Daniel Sutton tells Channel 4 News the "balance of power lies with several independents".
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who remains caretaker leader, said it was clear that no party had won a majority of parliamentary seats in Saturday's poll that delivered an extraordinary voter backlash against her centre-left Labor Party after a single three-year term.
Labor lost votes to the environment-focused Greens party as the government was punished for shelving plans to charge major polluting industries for every ton of carbon gas that they emit.
Both Gillard and her opposite number, the leader of the conservative Liberal Party, Tony Abbott, have both initiated talks with three independents in the House of Respresentatives as well as the Greens party in a bid to secure their votes in the house.
Speaking from Australia Network Ten journalist Daniel Sutton told Channel 4 News a hung parliament is likely and the "balance of power lies with several independents".
He said: "It looks like we are headed for a hung parliament in Australia. At the moment both sides of politics are deadlocked. We have three or four seats still undecided, but it looks like the balance of power will be with several independents - about five or so who have been elected.
"And so now both parties are locked in negotiations trying to work out with those independents who can offer them the sweetest deal to try to form a government.
"Three of the five independents who have won seats tonight do have some links to the conservative side of politics.
"Perhaps Tony Abbott and his conservative coalition may be able to open up some discussions with them. However two of the independents are opposed to one of his key policies - they support the introduction of a national broadband network in Australia, allowing high speed internet so perhaps Tony Abbott and the conservatives here, may have to relax their stance on this policy if they want to negotiate with these independents."
Neither leader has revealed what they were prepared to offer in the confidential negotiations.
Both Labor and the Liberal-led coalition have conceded that neither is likely to hold the 76 seats needed to form a government in the 150-seat lower chamber.
Gillard told reporters: "It's my intention to negotiate in good faith an effective agreement to form government."
She suggested that Labor would be better able to get its legislative agenda through the Senate, where major parties rarely hold majorities.
The Greens' record support in the polls increased the party's Senate seats from five to nine, giving them the leverage to become kingmaker in deciding which major party controls that chamber.
Gillard said: "I will work through with these discussions with the Independents and Greens to create a long-term, stable government."
But Abbott doubts the science behind climate change and rules out ever taxing polluters for their greenhouse gas emissions and said Labor had proved unstable even with a clear majority.
Ms Gillard became Australia's first woman prime minister in June after ousting her predecessor, Kevin Rudd. She has been accused of running a lacklustre campaign, which has been overshadowed by continued rows over the leadership coup that led to Mr Rudd's resignation. He was deposed after Labor activists thought he had no chance of winning the election.
Abbott jumped at the recriminations saying: "It's certain that any Labor government emerging from yesterday will be chronically divided and dysfunctional."
Independents hold the key
Independent Tony Windsor said he will talk with fellow independents Bob Katter and Rob Oakeshott on Sunday to decide whether to negotiate a power deal with the major parties as a group or individually.
They were the only independents in the last Parliament and are former members of the Nationals party, which is a coalition partner of the Liberals.
But all have said they are open to supporting a Labor minority government.
Tony Windsor told Australian television: "The first thing that needs to be done is to ensure that whatever the process is and with whichever side it is, that we need to have some stability, and maintenance of stability so that the government can actually work."
Independent Member of Parliament Rob Oakeshott appeared to agree, saying "This is about the country not about Tony, Julia and I, and if we all focus on the country and what's in the best interest of the country, I think we'll all get through."
The last time an Australian government had to rely on the support of independent lawmakers to rule was in 1943.
Two independents changed the government in the preceding three-year term by switching their allegiance from the conservatives to Labor.
The election results were expected to be the closest since 1961, and might not be known for at least a week.
With more than 78 per cent of the vote counted, the Australian Electoral Commission said Labor had won 70 seats and the Liberal coalition 72.
Most analysts agree that the coalition is likely to finish with 73, one seat ahead of Labor, leaving an unstable minority government led by Abbott and supported by three independents.
