And the Government of Australia is ….

1747: God they would not stop talking. I think they may regret agreeing to answer questions also. Tony Windsor said something which speaks volume.

He basically said one reason he went for Labor is because he thinks they will not hold another election until three years are up. When asked why he thinks the Coalition would be more likely to want an early election, he replied because they would win it!!

So one of the Independents has said that the Government is so unpopular it would lose a second election! Watch the Coalition put the pressure on in the next few weeks. Also watch for them to target winning those seats back next election with the line that a vote for them is a vote for Labor.

1706: UPDATE: And as expected and predicted Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor have pledged supply and confidence to Labor, who squeak back for a second term, and Julia Gillard remains Prime Minister.

Even more importantly I just made $1,000 on iPredict 🙂

I note the 2 party preferred vote is still split right down the centre – 50.01% Coalition to 49.99% Labor.

1708: Windsor says the major issue that decided it for him was the fact Labor was committed to a nationwide fibre rollout, and the Coalition was not. Ironically in NZ last election it was National that committed $1.5B to a fibre rollout and Labour only $300m to general broadband.

1604: A press conference with the Independents is due to start at 3 pm in Australia, or 5pm in NZ.

Bob Katter has broken ranks though to announce he will support Abbott (as I predicted a few days ago). So it is 74-74.

All the signs are the two other Independents will go with Labor. Gillard will have her skills tested governing with such a weak mandate, and will be hoping there are no by-elections.

Abbott will be treated as an unsuccessful hero by the Coalition and remain Leader – for now. However at some stage they may reconsider if he is whom they want to go into 2013 with – if the Government lasts that long.