Liberals warn of 'leftist, green government'

3 Sep 2010, 6:26 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Key Liberals have raised fears of a leftist Labor-Greens government in an bid for the support of the three independent MPs who will decide who to back this weekend.

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Key Liberals have raised fears of a leftist Labor-Greens government in an 11th-hour appeal for the support of the three undecided independent MPs who will this weekend decide the country's next government.

A day after Labor locked in the support of Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie, taking it to within two seats of forming a government, oalition MPs made a desperate bid to secure the backing of the remaining three hold-outs.

Opposition MPs on Friday ramped up the pressure on independents Bob Katter, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor to join the Coalition, warning a Labor government would risk a major shift toward left-wing politics.

The three men say they have yet to decide which party to support and hope to make that decision by early next week.

With Labor having secured 74 seats, the oalition, which has 73 seats, needs the support of all three to be able to form government.

In a sign they fear the momentum has swung in Labor's favour, senior coalition figures, including former prime minister John Howard, on Friday took aim at the Greens' move to support Labor's bid to form minority government.

Both shadow treasurer Joe Hockey and opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb warned the alliance between Labor and the Greens - which extends only to matters of supply and no-confidence motions - would deliver the most left-wing government in Australia's history.

"It is inconceivable to me that country independents would choose to go with what would be the most centre-left government in Australian history, in a Green-Labor alliance," Mr Hockey said.

It was a clear line of attack, with Mr Robb making an almost identical comment.

"It would be inconceivable in my view that the three independents would join forces with the most left-wing coalition of Labor/Green government in Australia's history," Mr Robb said.

Mr Howard, speaking at a fundraiser for children with leukaemia in Brisbane, made a similar appeal to the independents.

"The alliance that was sealed between the Australian Labor Party and the Australian Greens does represent a significant signal that the politics of a future Labor government would be to the left of what has been the politics of the Labor government of recent years," he said.

He said the next Labor government would be further to the left than the governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating between 1983 and 1996, as well as that of the recent governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.

The comments came as the three independents prepared to spend the weekend weighing up their options, with Mr Katter suggesting he would be swayed by the party which did the most to deliver on a wish list he announced on Friday.

The list of conditions includes the scrapping of the mining tax and the emissions trading scheme, moving towards renewable energy via the use of biofuels and limiting the market power of supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles.

Mr Katter, who will remain in Canberra over the weekend, said he would prefer to make a decision in concert with the other members of the gang of three.

"We may not, at the end of the day, but I'm very anxious and I would be very strongly influenced by the position of my colleagues, as I hope they would be by my position," he said.

Mr Windsor, who left for his New England electorate in NSW at lunchtime, told reporters he hadn't made up his mind.

"I'm trying to work out some of the stability issues, in terms of can this parliament actually work?," he said.

"There's probably still a 10 per cent chance that there is another election but I don't sense from either side that they want another election."

But Mr Oakeshott hit out at reports the coalition was critical of the independents for publicly releasing Treasury costings of its policies, which found discrepancies of up to $11 billion.

"That Treasury paperwork and the changes to the caretaker conventions agreed to by Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott in a spirit of consensus, in the end, that paperwork was the three independents' paperwork," he said.

"There were no secrets, there were no tricks, and there are no games being played at our end."

Election 2010 , Bob Katter , Rob Oakeshott , Tony Windsor , The Greens , Ausrtalian Labor Party , Liberal Party

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123 - from Sydney, 3 years ago

Liberals aren't liberal

Trent - from Macquarie, 3 years ago

If those idiotic lunatic Greens get to have much of a say then this country will very soon be in one hell of a mess. I can't imagine why anyone in their right mind would want to vote for Brown and Co.

Michael - from Flynn, 3 years ago

Right wing demogogues have united!!! We once had campaigns of fear and loathing against boat people, muslims, and the Burqa; now the Coalition offers another target - "the most left leaning government in history". Ironic isn't it, that this absurd comment comes from MPs who were members of the most radical RIGHT-WING GOVERNMENT in Australia's history!

Drew - from Flynn, 3 years ago

God Help us if They do join up with Bob Clown and his bunch of left wing green Loonies it will be hang on to your hat or should I say standard of Living

Roslyn PARRY - from Page, 3 years ago

CONGRATS TO THE DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE FORTUITOUSLY EMERGED AS ASTUTE AND DISCERNING POLITICAL LEADERS THE STALEMATE BETWEEN THE 2 MAJOR STALE PARTIES HAS EXPOSED THEM BOTH AS FATUOUS THIS ONE IN A BLUE MOON OPPORTUNITY COULD QUITE WELL PAVE THE WAY TOWARDS A CLEANER, LEANER AND RESPONSIBLE GOVT pERHAPS THESE BOYS ARE CAPABLE OF SPEARHEADING AUST INTO A REPUBLIC I HOPE THEY TAKE THEIR TIME THEY ARE WORTHY OF RESPECT, WHILE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THEIR DRAMATIC APPEARANCE IS NOT WITHOUT ITS IRONY

Jimbo - from Brisbane, 3 years ago

"It would be inconceivable in my view that the three independents would join forces with the most left-wing coalition of Labor/Green government in Australia's history"Dear god that made me laugh a lot!Is he really proposing that the labor govt is left wing?it has gone so far right it is in danger of run straight into the liberals!WOW what a statement! time for Mr Hockey and Mr Robb to go back to history lessons. Whitlam, Hawke, there are two straight up a lot more left than this bunch! FARCE

Dissapointed - from Fremantle, 3 years ago

It seems to me that Tony Abbott continually uses scare tactics to gain any advantage with either the independants or the people. It is about time that everyone looked at what was good for the country instead of this continual spin and lies from the Liberal Party. I would have to say that the current government have done a good job of saving Australia from the global financial crisis. I distinctly remember Tony Abbott complaining about any stimulus packages which have saved us. Down with Abbott

mal - from Brand, 3 years ago

A Labour...Greens Government would be really bad for Australia...we would go down the gurgler....Wilkie has no idea about anything ...he is a waste of space...I really pity what is going to happen to our Country..Later people will start complaining....and all you can say is ...you voted for them.....a lot of damage will be done in a short time........before people really wake up and get cross....

Todd - from Cunningham, 3 years ago

Leftist, Green Government? You say that like it's a bad thing Tony. Don't forget atheist too. Maybe we will get some actual environmental policy, gay and lesbian equality, and humane treatment of refugees.

Lesley F - from Brand, 3 years ago

Tony Abbott is far from stupid Andrew W.Anyone who researched the backgrounds of Julia Gillard and her ministers would soon discover their marxist tendencies.Why don't you look them up on Wiki? Julia,Simon Crean,Martin Ferguson,Jenny Macklin,Greg Combet etc

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