WA:Barnett tips Abbott to form government

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2010
WA:Barnett tips Abbott to form government

By Lloyd Jones

PERTH, Aug 22 AAP - West Australian Premier Colin Barnett has tipped Opposition Leader
Tony Abbott to form a minority government on the election figures as they stand.

Labor had thrown away its chance for a second term, the premier told reporters in Perth
on Sunday.

"I would think on the figures as they stand now, that Tony Abbott will be able to form
a government.

"That is not certain but it is the most likely outcome at this stage," Mr Barnett said.

"Labor basically squandered its opportunity for a second term, they threw it away and
I just find that quite extraordinary."

Mr Barnett said a key vote winner for the coalition in the resource states was Mr Abbott's
clear commitment to ditch Labor's mining tax.

"That is one of the major reasons why the result for the Liberal Party and the National
Party was so strong in Queensland and Western Australia and parts of NSW."

Mr Barnett said he hoped the independents would form some sort of alliance to support
an Abbott-led government, backing it on supply and no-confidence motions.

He said he talked to Mr Abbott by phone on Sunday morning and they discussed how the
coalition might bring the independents into an alliance.

"Obviously he was very excited but not ahead of himself and still waiting on the final figures."

In WA, the state's independent-minded Nationals staged a surprise takeover of the regional
seat of O'Connor with Tony Crook defeating long-time Liberal incumbent Wilson Tuckey.

The WA Nationals have indicated they will not be dictated to by the federal coalition
and want WA's Royalties for Regions program extended to a federal level.

The program redirects government spending from major population centres into rural
areas funded with 25 per cent of WA's mining and petroleum royalty revenue.

Mr Barnett said he did not know if a royalties for regions program could be done at
a federal level.

"Maybe part of this might be some greater support for regional areas of Australia and
I think everyone would agree with that."

The premier said he told Mr Abbott that Mr Crook would need to be seen as a special
case, lying somewhere between an independent and a National.

Mr Barnett said he expected a fairer deal from Mr Abbott than from Labor on WA's share
of the GST and on a national hospitals plan.

AAP ldj/goc/

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