Australia finally has a Government following the decision by two of the three rural independents to support the Gillard Labor Government. The future stability of the Government will remain in question as it navigates an alliance with both the Greens and independents.
The Union for Commonwealth Public Servants welcomed the decision by the two independents, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott to support the Labor Party with National Secretary of the CPSU, Nadine Flood commenting that:
"The arrangement betweens the Independents, Greens and the Gillard Government is positive news for the public sector and the Australian community," said Ms Flood.
"Most public sector workers were deeply concerned by the Coalition plans to cut 12,000 public service jobs and to cut funding through an increased efficiency dividend. So this outcome has provided relief.
"There is no doubt the Coalition's cuts would have reduced essential services to many thousands of Australians.
"Now more than ever, Australia needs a confident, properly funded and forward-looking public sector that can deliver high quality policy, services and jobs."
http://www.cpsu.org.au/campaigns/news/19707.html
Quite how the Conservative Opposition got so close to defeating the Labor Party at this election will be the subject of significant review. But despite this necessary period on inflection, Labor now has a massive job of making and restating the case of what Labor is all about. There is little doubt that the Conservatives will use any opportunity to force a general election and Labor must act quickly and decisively to ensure that its message and ideological focus is understood by the Australian electorate.
The Greens, who pledged their support for the Gillard Government, have performed strongly in the election. The Greens made no apology for their avowedly Leftist stance during the election and this was rewarded with an increased vote and the balance of power in the Australian Senate. Whether Labor and the Greens can work together, with the support of key independents, to promote the agenda of workers rights remains to be seen. The first priority has to be the demolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission which continues to use its coercive powers to prosecute Unions and their members for exercising their democratic human rights. There can be no justification for its continued existence.
Australia faces interesting times.