Australian Labor wins over key independent

Last Updated: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 18:27:00 +1000

An Australian independent member of parliament, Andrew Wilkie, has announced he will support the Prime Minister in a Gillard Labor Government.

Mr Wilkie represents the Tasmanian seat of Denison.

His decision means that with the Greens MP Adam Bandt, Ms Gillard now has 74 of the 76 seats she needs to form a government.

Mr Wilkie says Ms Gillard has agreed to work on imposing restrictions on poker machines and approving more health funding.

He says he hopes his decision encourages the other independents.

Signal

The MP said: "I would hope that this sends a signal to the other three independnets and they move as quickly as they can just as I've done to make their decisions and in a way which will bring maximum stability to the parliament and so that the next Government lasts the whole three years."

Political correspondent Louise Yaxley reports Ms Gillkard has also offered around $340 million for the Royal Hobart Hospital, in Mr Wilkie's electorate.

He says he turned down an offer of a billion dollars for the hospital from the Opposition leader, Tony Abbott.

Mr Wilkie says the offer was outside the proper process.

Ms Gillard says Mr Wilkie has acted in the national interest.

"Mr Abbott was prepared to give Mr Wilkie a billion dollars for a proposal that should properly cost the Australian government about a third of that," she said.