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Gillard wins first test of strength
Source: Agencies |
September 29, 2010, Wednesday
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AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Julia Gillard won the first major test of her new minority Labor government's stability yesterday with the election of her nominee for speaker of parliament.
But her government's advantage over the opposition has now been effectively cut from two to one, given that the speaker cannot vote in parliament unless there is a tie, underlining concerns the new government will not last its full three years.
Conservative leader Tony Abbott wants to topple the government within the three-year term, and with Labor holding only a one-seat majority, almost any dispute could end Gillard's stay as Australia's first elected female leader.
The biggest battles are some time away, with a fine-tuning of Labor's planned 30 percent mining tax still under way and draft laws not expected until December or early 2011. Moves for a carbon emissions price are not expected until 2012.
Gillard warned the opposition against disrupting Australia's first hung parliament since 1941. "This term of parliament is not an opportunity to re-fight the election, vote after vote, bill after bill," Gillard said. "This is a time for consensus, not confrontation, debate not destruction."
Governor-General Quentin Bryce officially opened the new parliamentary session in Canberra, outlining Gillard's priorities. These included targeting a stronger economy and tax reforms.
Bryce also highlighted spending on infrastructure, including the A$41 billion (US$39 billion) rollout of a national high-speed Internet service, with laws to support an A$10.5 billion deal with phone company Telstra Corp to help with broadband rollout.
Labor MP Harry Jenkins was elected unopposed as the new speaker, indicating Gillard's control over parliament. But Labor cannot now have a single politician absent for lower house votes without opposition permission, making it difficult for Gillard or ministers to travel when parliament is in session.
But her government's advantage over the opposition has now been effectively cut from two to one, given that the speaker cannot vote in parliament unless there is a tie, underlining concerns the new government will not last its full three years.
Conservative leader Tony Abbott wants to topple the government within the three-year term, and with Labor holding only a one-seat majority, almost any dispute could end Gillard's stay as Australia's first elected female leader.
The biggest battles are some time away, with a fine-tuning of Labor's planned 30 percent mining tax still under way and draft laws not expected until December or early 2011. Moves for a carbon emissions price are not expected until 2012.
Gillard warned the opposition against disrupting Australia's first hung parliament since 1941. "This term of parliament is not an opportunity to re-fight the election, vote after vote, bill after bill," Gillard said. "This is a time for consensus, not confrontation, debate not destruction."
Governor-General Quentin Bryce officially opened the new parliamentary session in Canberra, outlining Gillard's priorities. These included targeting a stronger economy and tax reforms.
Bryce also highlighted spending on infrastructure, including the A$41 billion (US$39 billion) rollout of a national high-speed Internet service, with laws to support an A$10.5 billion deal with phone company Telstra Corp to help with broadband rollout.
Labor MP Harry Jenkins was elected unopposed as the new speaker, indicating Gillard's control over parliament. But Labor cannot now have a single politician absent for lower house votes without opposition permission, making it difficult for Gillard or ministers to travel when parliament is in session.
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