In an election pitch for his return as an independent member in the NSW electorate of New England, Tony Windsor last night told viewers of the ABC’s QandA that country voters needed to use their clout “more strategically”.
In putting his argument for having more independent members in minority parliaments, Windsor claimed that “in the first 20 years of Federation there was only one majority parliament”. [Read more…]
South Australia will have a minority Labor government with the support of independent member Geoff Brock, who has accepted a Cabinet post as Minister for Regional Development.
Brock, the member for Frome, announced his decision this morning at a joint press conference with Premier Jay Weatherill. It comes after yesterday’s announcement that the other independent member, Bob Such, is to take two months sick leave from the new parliament. [Read more…]
Rob Oakeshott was the independent member for Lyne for five years from 2008 until 2013.
Oakeshott was previously a Nationals and an independent member of the NSW Legislative Assembly. He won Lyne at a by-election in September 2008, following the retirement of the former Nationals leader, Mark Vaile. [Read more…]
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s intention to give notice of a no-confidence motion when Parliament returns this week has always been a potentially messy business.
A brief explanation: the government controls the Notice Paper in the House of Representatives. This is the document which outlines the order and timing of debate, including the order of legislation.
Whilst there are set times when the Opposition can bring on debate on particular issues (such as in regular Matters of Public Importance), if it wants to move a specific motion it needs to first move a motion for the Suspension of Standing Orders.
Abbott attempted to do this during Question Time on March 21, whilst the government was preoccupied with the leadership spill that wasn’t. He sought to suspend standing orders in order to move: “That this House declares no confidence in the Prime Minister.”
The motion was carried by 73 votes to 71 but was defeated because a suspension of standing orders requires an absolute majority of 76 votes.
Abbott then announced that he would give notice of a no-confidence motion when the House resumes tomorrow. He didn’t say whether it would be no-confidence in the government or the prime minister. The difference is technically significant but may not necessarily be crucial to the outcome of any vote. [Read more…]
The leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Christine Milne, has addressed the National Press Club and announced that the party’s agreement with the Gillard minority government is at end end.
The leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Christine Milne, has ended the party’s agreement with the Gillard minority government.
Speaking at the National Press Club today, Milne said the ALP had walked away from the agreement and “into the arms of the big miners”. [Read more…]
Rob Oakeshott has shot back at Sydney Morning Herald columnist Gerard Henderson over his comments on minority government.
The member for Lyne, one of the rural independents whose support is crucial to the survival of Julia Gillard’s minority Labor government, was responding to yesterday’s column by Henderson which argued that “the Australian body politic is clearly afflicted by the minority obsession”.
Henderson claimed: “For more than two years, a number of poor political decisions and misjudged statements can be directly attributed to the minority obsession’s prevalence. Most recently, some of the assessments of the Federal Court in Ashby v Commonwealth of Australia.”
In his response, Oakeshott said “the dreamers for majority” had failed to adjust to the “new normal” of multi-party democracy. Oakeshott defended his decision to support a minority Labor government, even when “the ALP has gone missing on some key items agreed to”.
He wrote: “Better education and health polices, a market-based emissions trading scheme being implemented, a rate of return and equity being delivered through a national broadband strategy, progress on bi-partisan recognition of Australia’s 40,000-year-old history in our Constitution, and the starting elements of tax reform, are all positive reasons why I did what I did, and why I stand by it.”
This article appeared on the website of the member for Lyne, Rob Oakeshott.
A FOOLISH SUMMATION OF MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY
Mr Gerard Henderson yesterday continued his convenient and ongoing obsession with minority government, and his attacks on colleague Tony Windsor and I in particular (Minority rule makes fools of both sides of the house). The executive director of the conservative Australian current affairs forum has never spoken to me, or to my knowledge to Mr Windsor, so his “insight” into the events leading up to the incumbent government securing a working majority is exposed and needs correcting. [Read more…]
