independents set to make deals

Australia is heading towards a hung parliament, with up to four independents and one Green deciding who becomes prime minister.

As of 9pm, with 63 per cent of the vote counted, Labor is ahead 51-49 on a two-party preferred basis – a 3 per cent swing against the Government.

The commission has declared 58 seats for Labor and 49 for the Coalition, with indications both major parties will end up with 70-odd seats each.

The Greens have won their second ever House of Representatives seat, and the three sitting independents – Bob Katter, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor – have retained their seats, while former intelligence analyst and Green-turned-independent Andrew Wilkie appears likely to pick up Dennison in Tasmania.

These five men appear likely to determine which party governs Australia.

Labor appears to have lost 14 seats so far, including Bennelong, Macquarie, Bonner, Flynn, Forde, Leichhardt, Longman as well as three seats it held notionally after redistributions: Herbert, Gilmore and Dickson. It is likely to pick up McEwen and La Trobe in Victoria.

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Posted by on Aug 22 2010. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry