Julia Gillard forms the government in Australia

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s second term in office became secure on Tuesday, after her winning the support of two independent lawmakers from rural Australia to form a minority Labor government.

The Member for New England, Tony Windsor, decided today to give his support for Labor and that gave Gillard the barest possible majority – 76 seats in a 150-seat chamber – to Tony Abbott's 74.

Announcing his support Winsor told media persons that he had decided to support Labor because it was more likely to allow the Parliament to run a full three year term.

The other Independent Member Rob Oakeshott, who made his decision earlier to support a Gillard government, said that “no one living in the city needs to be scared – we are looking for equity” for country people. (Their negotiation points with Gillard included the need to balance rural priorities with urban ones, such as broadband access and education.)

Gillard has offered the independents a “regional package” with a prima facie price tag of $10 billion. Gillard also publicly declared that the next allocations of funding for hospitals and education would give priority to the regions.

With four of the five cross-bench MPs in the new parliament now backing Gillard, she has a majority of just one seat.

The four who have all made clear they will support Labor against no-confidence motions and to back its budgets, but they pointedly did not guarantee their support for Labor policies, reserving the right to vote independently on each one.
Bob Katter (QLD), one of the Independent members, announced earlier - and alone - that he would go with the Coalition.

"This parliament is going to be different and no one party has dominance over the executive or the parliament," independent lawmaker Rob Oakeshott told media persons at parliament house after announcing the decision alongside colleague Tony Windsor.

"That is just the reality of the way we are going to do business over the next three years."

But with Labor in minority in the lower house and the Greens to control the balance of power in the upper house Senate from July 2011, Gillard will need all her negotiating skills to not just pass policy, but ensure Labor survives its three-year term.

Gillard and conservative leader Tony Abbott had been desperately wooing three undecided independents since dead-heat August 21 elections and on Tuesday agreed to reforms demanded by the trio, including brakes on executive power over parliament.

-Asian Tribune-