Asia-Pacific News
Independents keep Australian prime minister in power (Extra)
Sep 7, 2010, 7:26 GMT
Sydney - Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Tuesday won the support of independents to remain in office, breaking a 17-day logjam that built up behind the inconclusive August 21 parliamentary election.
Two independents declared their support for Labor, giving Gillard the 76 seats needed to command a majority in the 150-member assembly.
After 17 days of bargaining, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor got behind Labor after being promised goodies for their electorates.
A trio that also included fellow independent Bob Katter had held the major parties to ransom since the parliamentary election ended in a dead-heat.
Katter broke ranks with the other two and pledged his support for Tony Abbott's conservatives.
The three are all ex-Nationals, the junior party in Abbott's Liberal-led conservative coalition, and represent rural electorates that usually vote conservative.
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