AFTER 17 days of suspense, an election result has finally been handed down to the people of Australia.
The Labor Party was given the nod yesterday with independent MPs Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott announcing they will support Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
While the third rural independent Bob Katter sided with the Coalition, Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott’s decision means Labor has 76 votes in the 150-seat lower house.
The Nationals Federal Member for Mallee John Forrest said it had been a dissapointing day.
“Labor’s first term in office was bad enough and this ‘rainbow coalition’ of Labor, the extreme Greens and the independents should be of enormous concern for regional Australia,” Mr Forrest said.
“From Labor’s first Budget where it cut more than $1 billion out of regional programs, through to decisions to introduce an emissions trading tax and a mining tax, Labor has been bad news for regional areas.
For more of this story, purchase your copy of Wednesday’s Sunraysia Daily 08/09/2010.
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