Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister Julia
Gillard Wednesday secured the support of the country`s only Greens parliamentarian after agreeing to create a "climate change
committee" of MPs as hectic negotiations to form a government inched forward.
Greens leader Senator Bob Brown said the party`s only
MP Adam Bandt would back Gillard`s Labor party in parliament
after the Prime Minister offered to set up a climate change
committee, invest in dental care and study a high-speed
east-coast rail link.
"We have made a decision here...We are the first
people in this balance of power in both houses to make a
decision," Brown told reporters.
The deal with the Greens means Labor party is now
three seats short of the 76-seat majority it needs to form
government. The coalition currently has 73 seats.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation said the agreement
signed between Greens and Labors also included the dumping of
the highly unpopular `Citizens Assembly`.
"If Gillard continued her term as prime minister she
would also meet with Brown and Bandt once a week" when
Parliament is in session.
Australians voted in the country`s first hung
parliament in 70 years at the August 21 polls -- delivering
Tony Abbott`s Liberal/National coalition 73 seats and Prime
Minister Julia Gillard`s centre-left Labor 72, but giving
neither the 76 seats needed to rule.
Brown said the Greens, who also hold the balance of
power in the Senate, are committed to stable, open and good
governance.
"We take that responsibility with a great deal of
gratitude to the people of Australia," he said.
"We will be discussing, if Julia Gillard is the next
Prime Minister, a wide range of other issues in the months and
years to come.
"Here is a very good example of us saying, `we accept
what the people of Australia say and we`re moving to get them
a good outcome from [a minority government]", he said.
Brown defended the formation of climate change
committee in the absence of a price on carbon and said all
sides of politics as well as various experts would be invited
to join it.
The three incumbent cross-bench MPs and newly elected
independent MP Andrew Wilkie are yet to make up their minds on
who to support as negotiations continue this week.
Brown said he informed Opposition Leader Tony Abbott
of the deal last night.
PTI
