Independents’ decision not the end of uncertainty
Confused about Australia’s political future ?
Then read Mark Davis in the SMH as he discusses what might happen next
It won’t necessarily help but it does lay out options that might be taken by the Governor General, Gillard and Abbott over the next month or two.
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One thing I have not seen mentioned anywhere is the question of “pairs”.
It has not always been observed, but it has been usual for each party to grant the other a “pair” ie, if a member(s) of the ALP cannot vote in parliament because of illness etc, a Coalition
member(s) will not vote either.
If the ALP gets in then it seems to me that instability is guaranteed unless the Coa;ition agrees to “pairs” – and sticks to the agreement. The opposite applies if the Coalition ends up in power.
If the granting of “pairs” is necessary for the survival of a government, would not the Governor General need to take this into account?