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Australia's Greens 'Making Progress' With Gillard (Update3)
2010-08-27 07:22:52.467 GMT
(Updates with results from electoral commission in sixth
paragraph; comment from Abbott in ninth paragraph. For more on
the election, see {EXTRA <GO>})
By Marion Rae
Aug. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Australia's Greens Party held
"constructive" talks today with Prime Minister Julia Gillard
to determine whether to help her form a government after a
deadlocked vote at the Aug. 21 election, leader Senator Bob
Brown said.
"It was a constructive meeting," Brown reporters in
Canberra after meeting Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan. "We're
making progress" in establishing what assurances would be
needed to ensure stable government, he said.
Four independent lawmakers and one Greens Party member in
the lower House of Representatives will determine whether
Gillard's Labor Party or Tony Abbott's Liberal-National
coalition will govern after neither bloc won an absolute
majority in the general election.
Gillard's proposed mining tax, funding for national
Internet services and an expansion of renewable energy hang in
the balance as she and Abbott try to reach the 76 seats needed
to form government. The coalition holds 73 seats to Labor's 72,
according to the Australian Electoral Commission's website as of
4:38 p.m. local time today with 80 percent of votes counted.
"I am not in a position to set time-frames" on a deal,
Gillard told reporters in Canberra. The talks today were
"positive and constructive" and there will be more discussions
with the Greens and independent lawmakers next week, she said.
"Counting will continue through the weekend," Electoral
Commission spokesman Phil Diak said by phone from Canberra.
'Open Door'
While Brown says the Greens can work with a Labor or a
coalition government, Greens legislator Adam Bandt prefers a
Gillard-led administration. The Greens have an "open door" for
Abbott and hope to talk to him in "coming days," Brown said.
Independent lawmakers Bob Katter, Robert Oakeshott, and
Tony Windsor haven't declared a preference for Gillard or Abbott
after asking the leaders to explain the cost of their election
pledges that both said would allow the government budget to
return to surplus in 2012-13.
Abbott will let Treasury assess his proposals, one of seven
demands made by the three lawmakers who say they must see an
independent analysis to make a judgment on who can best manage
Australia's A$1.2 trillion ($1.06 trillion) economy. Gillard
will also turn over information on Labor Party pledges.
Choosing Sides
"I hope that the independent members will be able to come
to a position as soon as possible as to which side of Parliament
is worthy of backing on motions of confidence and of supply,"
Abbott told reporters in Sydney today. Two days ago, he refused
to comply with their demand for him to open the books.
The government has accepted Abbott's request that
information on the cost of coalition policies not be released to
the offices of the prime minister or treasurer, Gillard said.
Abbott must also declare whether he wants a government that
lasts three years or wants to push for another election, Brown
said.
Senator Steve Fielding, an upper house lawmaker with the
Family First party, earlier today told Australian Broadcasting
Corp. he might work with the coalition to block laws put up by a
Labor government.
The ability of Labor or the coalition to work with the
Senate, where the Greens could determine which laws pass after
Fielding's term expires in July, is a key consideration for the
independents.
"We're not in the business of blocking supply or
needlessly running interference on anyone," Abbott said.
For Related News and Information:
To see top Australian news: TOP AU <GO>
Australian Stocks: AS51 <Index> DES <GO>
Australian Currency: AUD <CRNCY> HCPI <GO>
--With reporting by Lisa Pham in Sydney. Editors: Paul Tighe,
Ben Richardson
To contact the reporter on this story:
Marion Rae in Canberra at +61-2-9777-8679 or
mrae3@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Iain Wilson at +61-2-9777-8645 or
iwilson2@bloomberg.net
