Australia on a knife-edge; hardliners will tip balance
To borrow a sporting analogy, this morning the Aussie election is heading for golden point extra time. Simon Maude reports.
The balance of power in Australian politics lies with independent MPs as the ruling Coalition and opposition Labor Party headed inexorably towards a hung Parliament early this morning.
With 65 per cent of the vote counted, the ABC projected the ruling Coalition would win 73 seats, just three short of a majority. Labor have at least 67 seats in the lower house, but will pick up more in seats that are going down to the line. Five seats will go to minor parties or independents – who could decide the next government.
Labor made inroads into the Coalition’s majority through the evening, but not enough for Bill Shorten to wrest power from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who could face a leadership contest after a poor showing. His audacious double dissolution gamble
Kiwis are hoping whoever forms the Government will have reasonable discussions with us about this problem. Oz Kiwi spokeswoman
looked to have backfired. Voters appeared in a mood to punish the ruling party.
The prospect of a second hung Parliament in six years would spell more uncertainty for an electorate reeling from four prime ministers in four years.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was returned to power after picking up a Senate seat in Queensland, where she could push her claims for a royal commission into Islam.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, who has deported hundreds of New Zealanders, narrowly hung on to his seat.
As well as the lower house, Australia was electing 76 senators – from contenders including the sole New Zealand-born incumbent, Western Australian Green Party senator Scott Ludlam.
Independents such as David Wilkie and minor parties like the Greens – who won around 10 per cent of the vote, but looked likely to secure just one seat – could hold the balance of power in the Senate, or force a minority government in the lower house.
I look to New Zealand on many progressive issues. Gay rights, indigenous people’s rights, the flag debate, you romp ahead of us. Republican Movement chair
A string of minor parties made up the numbers: pro-gun, Christian evangelical Family First, antiIslamic Rise Up Australia and the anti-vaccination Health Party.
In true Australian style, barbecues were fired up at polling booths for traditional election-day sausage sizzles, as more than 15 million people voted.
Oz Kiwi, which promotes the rights of New Zealanders living in Australia, said only a tiny fraction of the 650,000 New Zealanders living in Australia were eligible to vote.
Spokeswoman Natasha Maynard said most Kiwis favoured a Labor win as the party had signalled they would address immigration issues. ‘‘But Kiwis are hoping whoever forms the government will have reasonable discussions with us about this problem.’’
Republican Movement chair Peter FitzSimons urged whoever took power to be like New Zealand’s John Key. ‘‘Personally I look to New Zealand on many progressive issues. Gay rights, indigenous people’s rights, the flag debate, you romp ahead of us.’’
Natasha Maynard Peter FitzSimons