mgpcpastor's blog

Rob Oakeshott, member for Lyne, and Tony Windsor, member for New England, have announced their decisions as to which party they have chosen to support to form the next federal government of Australia.

Oakeshott enters first, alone, and jokes with the assembled media. He waves to a school group seated in the gallery and now stands waiting for Windsor to enter.
Windsor arrives, shakes Oakeshott’s hand and begins to speak. He notes the children attending are from his own electorate.
Windsor thanks the leaders of the political parties and the press for courtesies shown to them throughout the process.
Could a government be formed?
Three options: Labor, Liberal, another election.
How long would a government last?
What sort of relationship with the senate?
Regional packages put together by both parties and they’ve done a great job, a recognition that regional areas have missed out.

Windsor will support the Labor party.
He nominates broadband and carbon pricing as key issues.
We won’t support trivial no confidence, will guarantee supply, will conscience vote, and reservest the right to move a no confidence motion.

Oakeshott says that his decision is not a mandate or an endorsement for a philosophy.
Now he’s speaking at length about the next three years. I think he’s projecting the uncertainty of his own position onto the general mind of the nation.
Six on one, half a dozen of the other.
His four year old and six year old who are split on the decision.
Still talking.
Best interest test.
Four key areas: Raw numbers on the floor of the house; the Senate; which party has more to gain in working with the independants; which party will keep this parliament running as long as possible.
Oucomes: a good local package; a regional Australia package that will turbo-charge regional areas, equity delivered; he has some sort of offer regarding the regional package; the Henry tax review recommendations publicly debated; a process leading to indigenous recognition referendum; the broadband issue/climate change/regional education.
Still talking about process of consultation and deliberation.
Oakeshott will give confidence and supply to Julia Gillard.

Australia will have a Labor government.
Oakeshott has been offered something but he isn’t saying saying what it is.

Fascinating contention from Windsor that Abbot would be more likely to go to an early election because they’d be more likely to win. He’s backing the party less likely to win because they’ll be more inclined to go the full term in order to avoid the electorate.