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| Australia's opposition leader Tony Abbott is interviewed at his electorate in Sydney on August 21, 2010. (Xinhua/Jiang Yaping) |
CANBERRA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Responding to the Greens-Labor alliance agreement on Wednesday morning, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said the deal showed there was no election commitment Prime Minister Julia Gillard would not dump to hold onto power in Parliament.
"The citizen's assembly (on climate policy) was always a dud policy and now it has been junked at the direction of the Greens. Clearly the Greens will be in the drivers seat in any renewed Gillard government," Abbott told a press conference in Canberra.
"There will be a carbon tax, there will be a mining tax, there will be funding cuts for independent schools and there will never be offshore (asylum seekers) processing," he said.
Abbott said it was not possible for Coalition party members to sit on the Labor-Greens' proposed climate change committee, which would replace the citizens' assembly.
"It was absolutely clear from (Greens leader) Bob Brown today that this committee ..will come up with an effective way to put a price on carbon, which was not Coalition policy," he said.
"What we wanted to do was to take effective action on emissions.. in a way that does not impose as great big new tax on everyone and everything".
On negotiations with the trio of independent members of parliament who hold the balance of power, Abbott said he has not received any indication from them on which side they would support.
The deal with the Greens means Labor is now three seats short of the 76-seat majority it needs to form government.
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Australian Labor Party signs agreement with Greens to form minority gov't
CANBERRA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Wednesday signed an agreement with the Australian Greens, which secures their support for a Labor minority government.
"I think the fact that we were able to reach that agreement shows that we have worked in good faith and held good discussions, " Gillard said in a media conference in Canberra on Wednesday. Full story
Two independents look to make decision on Australian minority gov't this week
CANBERRA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Two of the key independent members of parliament on Sunday said they think Australia's election deadlock can be broken by the end of the week.Full story
Australian Greens Party Leader backs PM to form minority gov't
CANBERRA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Australian Greens party leader Bob Brown said on Friday that he has held constructive talks with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her deputy Wayne Swan, about Labor Party forming a minority government.
Senator Brown did not want to disclose details of the meeting, held at Parliament House in Canberra on Friday morning, but said it had been positive.Full story
Australian Labor Party in favor to form minority gov't
CANBERRA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's reluctance to bow to one of the main demands of three key independents, on Thursday has put Prime Minister Julia Gillard in favor to win support from independents to form minority government.
Abbott on Thursday said the party will only submit its policies for costing by Treasury, if the culprit of an election campaign leak against the Coalition is found. Full story
Australian independents offer conditions for joining government
CANBERRA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Three independents in talks over minority government on Wednesday released a list of seven demands to secure their support.
Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter on Wednesday addressed the National Press Club with new Greens Member of Parliament (MP) Adam Bandt, and their diverse opinions were clear. The list included access to the latest Treasury advice on election promise costings and the economic outlook for Australia. Full story
Australian opposition vows to form stable minority government
CANBERRA, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) - Australian opposition leader Tony Abbott on Tuesday seized on a "civil war" within Labor Party to declare that only the Coalition can deliver a stable government.
Neither Labor nor Coalition Party gained an outright majority in the Aug. 21 election, meaning one side must win negotiations the three independents lawmakers, Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and Bob Katter, as well as the elected Greens member of parliament to form a government. Full story
Profile: Australia's conservative leader Tony Abbott
Profile: Australian Labor Party leader Julia Gillard
