This afternoon NSW independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott gave their support to provide 'confidence and supply' to a minority Labor Government.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard will now have a wafer thin margin of just one vote.
Earlier, North Queensland independent Bob Katter gave his support to the Coalition.
The NSW independents said the implementation of the national broadband scheme and the need to seriously address climate change were two key issues that swayed them.
Rob Oakeshott also added his desire to address the "crisis in regional education today".
"It is a disgrace that regional education has been left behind in this country," he said.
So what are the implications of this new minority Gillard Government? Here is an initial observation:
Fair go for the bush, Indigenous people
Given New England's history, Mr Windsor acknowledged many people would have expected him to back the Coalition.
However Mr Windor said "the amalgamation" of the Nationals and Coalition meant country people "were always side-lined".
"Elections have been fought on the western suburbs of our major cities," he said.
Mr Windsor said the regional packages developed by both major parties during the negotiation process was an "admission that they have neglected country Australians".
It is clear that addressing equity for rural Australians was the major consideration for all three country independents.
This explains Windsor’s detailed defence of Labor’s broadband policy, as well as Oakeshott’s comments on education.
For his part, Bob Katter listed the indigenous communities of north Queensland as his top priority, and was swayed by Noel Pearson’s belief that Labor policies will hamper Indigenous entrepreneurs..
Given that discussion of Indigenous disadvantage was intentionally avoided by both Labor and the Coalition during the election campaign, the events of the last few days have been heartening.
Get used to it. The make-up of this parliament means we will hear more from voices that have been marginalised from the two-party political process. And that is a good thing.
Is it worth noting then, that Rob Oakeshott’s wife is Aboriginal?
Perhaps. But more significantly this parliament - in which every vote will count - also includes our first Aboriginal Federal MP, Ken Wyatt, who will represent the West Australian seat of Hasluck.
Discussion
So over to you. What do you think is the key implication of this new parliament?
I will update this blog as details emerge.
