What is the difference between this new minority government and the previous ALP led government?
The essential difference with this new government and the previous one is that with such a narrow majority independents, or even individual members of the government’s party are in a position to use threats of opting out of the governing coalition to get what they want. Every member of the governing coalition becomes a spoiler or kingmaker, depending upon your view. Discipline and diplomacy will be at a premium. Equally, it will take only one death or retirement to call a by-election. I guess about now ALP whips are checking members’ cholesterol levels and ensuring nobody has too big a night. It only will take one extra ham sandwich to put the government at risk! Will this government last a full three years? If I were to guess I’d say that there will be an election sooner rather than later. Labor is in no hurry to have an election, they need time to sway the electorate to their way of seeing things. They may also be hoping that with time the Liberal party’s leadership will be at each o
