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30-10-2004, 04:08 AM
Mr Joyce said he stood by his commitments to oppose the full sale of Telstra until telecommunications in the bush had improved markedly, and to seek a review of a fishing ban in 33 per cent of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
full article from the Australian below
Nationals flex Senate muscle
Greg Roberts and Patricia Karvelas
October 29, 2004
THE Howard Government has vowed to sell Telstra, push for more industrial relations reform and deliver its suite of big-spending election handouts after securing control of the Senate yesterday.
But as John Howard celebrated his historic win, the Government's junior Coalition partner, the National Party, insisted it wanted more influence over social and economic policies.
After nearly three weeks of counting, the Coalition secured four of the six spots up for grabs in Queensland, as predicted by The Australian, giving it an absolute majority for the first time since 1981.
While the Government will from July 1 next year no longer be forced to negotiate with minor parties to pass legislation, newly elected Queensland Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce declared he wanted public funding for abortions stopped and restrictions on the market share of retail giants Woolworths and Coles Myer in return for his controlling vote.
The demands come on top of warnings from Mr Joyce and two of his four other Senate Nationals colleagues that Telstra service levels in the bush were not yet up to scratch and could stand in the way of the full sale of the telecommunications giant.
Mr Joyce, who with Liberal Russell Trood snared the last two Queensland spots in the declaration of the poll yesterday, insisted he was not obliged to toe the Coalition line.
"I will be a senator for the Queensland National Party first and foremost and it's the policies of the Queensland Nationals that I'll support," Mr Joyce said.
The last time the Coalition had control of the Senate, from 1976 to 1981, Coalition senators -- including the present leader of the Senate, South Australian Liberal Robert Hill -- crossed the floor three times.
The Prime Minister broke from a short holiday yesterday, saying the result was unexpected but a "very good outcome".
"I want to assure the Australian people that the Government will use its majority in the new Senate very carefully, very wisely and not provocatively," Mr Howard said.
However, Labor Senate leader Chris Evans said the Government now had "unfettered powers" to do what it liked without any checks and balances.
The acting prime minister, Treasurer Peter Costello, was quick to insist the Government would be able to deliver its mandate "in full".
"All of those bills that have been blocked for the last two years will be put back on the agenda," Mr Costello said.
The Government will continue to talk to senators who hold the balance of power until the new Senate is sworn in.
All four senators -- independents Shayne Murphy and Brian Harradine, One Nation's Len Harris and the Australian Progressive Alliance's Meg Lees -- have indicated they are willing to talk to the Coalition about media reform.
The Government is also likely to throw up some industrial relations legislation to the present Senate as a political test to the Labor Party's newfound desire to prove its economic credibility with a friendly approach to businesses concerns.
But Mr Joyce said he was not obliged to support government legislation, especially given the refusal of the Liberals to field a joint Coalition Senate ticket in Queensland.
Mr Joyce said he wanted Medicare funding for abortions to stop. "We have 100,000 abortions a year and it's about time we dealt with that."
His comments came as Health Minister Tony Abbott again reignited the abortion debate, saying the "constituency" that opposed abortion should now become politically active and press for change.
Mr Joyce said Woolworths and Coles Myer had too much market share at the expense of smaller operators, and the Government needed to address their "monopoly".
Mr Joyce said he stood by his commitments to oppose the full sale of Telstra until telecommunications in the bush had improved markedly, and to seek a review of a fishing ban in 33 per cent of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The Greens' Drew Hutton, who narrowly missed out on a Senate spot, said he was angry that Mr Joyce may have been elected on the back of a preferences deal between the Nationals and the Fishing Party, in which the Fishing Party preferenced Mr Joyce in return for a review of the fishing ban.
"The public had a right to know about a secret preferences deal done behind closed doors," Mr Hutton said.
He said the Greens were seeking legal advice about whether to challenge the outcome in the Court of Disputed Returns.
On a bright note for the Greens, Rachel Siewert secured the final spot in Western Australia, giving the minor party four senators, despite securing only a 2 per cent lift in their national vote.
Nationals Senate leader Ron Boswell said the party would treat responsibly its role of Senate powerbroker.
"The Senate will not be held hostage and distracted by the issues of minority interests," Senator Boswell said, in apparent contradiction of his Queensland colleague.
Nationals leader John Anderson, also on leave, said the party would use its newfound power "in the national interest".
Mr Anderson said it was too early to talk about the full sale of Telstra.
"We want services to be up to scratch and to remain up to scratch," he said.
Embattled Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett said public disquiet at the Government's control of both chambers would form the basis of a resurgence of support for his party.
The declaration of the Queensland poll shows One Nation founder Pauline Hanson will receive $199,404 in public funding for the 102,786 votes she received.
full article from the Australian below
Nationals flex Senate muscle
Greg Roberts and Patricia Karvelas
October 29, 2004
THE Howard Government has vowed to sell Telstra, push for more industrial relations reform and deliver its suite of big-spending election handouts after securing control of the Senate yesterday.
But as John Howard celebrated his historic win, the Government's junior Coalition partner, the National Party, insisted it wanted more influence over social and economic policies.
After nearly three weeks of counting, the Coalition secured four of the six spots up for grabs in Queensland, as predicted by The Australian, giving it an absolute majority for the first time since 1981.
While the Government will from July 1 next year no longer be forced to negotiate with minor parties to pass legislation, newly elected Queensland Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce declared he wanted public funding for abortions stopped and restrictions on the market share of retail giants Woolworths and Coles Myer in return for his controlling vote.
The demands come on top of warnings from Mr Joyce and two of his four other Senate Nationals colleagues that Telstra service levels in the bush were not yet up to scratch and could stand in the way of the full sale of the telecommunications giant.
Mr Joyce, who with Liberal Russell Trood snared the last two Queensland spots in the declaration of the poll yesterday, insisted he was not obliged to toe the Coalition line.
"I will be a senator for the Queensland National Party first and foremost and it's the policies of the Queensland Nationals that I'll support," Mr Joyce said.
The last time the Coalition had control of the Senate, from 1976 to 1981, Coalition senators -- including the present leader of the Senate, South Australian Liberal Robert Hill -- crossed the floor three times.
The Prime Minister broke from a short holiday yesterday, saying the result was unexpected but a "very good outcome".
"I want to assure the Australian people that the Government will use its majority in the new Senate very carefully, very wisely and not provocatively," Mr Howard said.
However, Labor Senate leader Chris Evans said the Government now had "unfettered powers" to do what it liked without any checks and balances.
The acting prime minister, Treasurer Peter Costello, was quick to insist the Government would be able to deliver its mandate "in full".
"All of those bills that have been blocked for the last two years will be put back on the agenda," Mr Costello said.
The Government will continue to talk to senators who hold the balance of power until the new Senate is sworn in.
All four senators -- independents Shayne Murphy and Brian Harradine, One Nation's Len Harris and the Australian Progressive Alliance's Meg Lees -- have indicated they are willing to talk to the Coalition about media reform.
The Government is also likely to throw up some industrial relations legislation to the present Senate as a political test to the Labor Party's newfound desire to prove its economic credibility with a friendly approach to businesses concerns.
But Mr Joyce said he was not obliged to support government legislation, especially given the refusal of the Liberals to field a joint Coalition Senate ticket in Queensland.
Mr Joyce said he wanted Medicare funding for abortions to stop. "We have 100,000 abortions a year and it's about time we dealt with that."
His comments came as Health Minister Tony Abbott again reignited the abortion debate, saying the "constituency" that opposed abortion should now become politically active and press for change.
Mr Joyce said Woolworths and Coles Myer had too much market share at the expense of smaller operators, and the Government needed to address their "monopoly".
Mr Joyce said he stood by his commitments to oppose the full sale of Telstra until telecommunications in the bush had improved markedly, and to seek a review of a fishing ban in 33 per cent of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The Greens' Drew Hutton, who narrowly missed out on a Senate spot, said he was angry that Mr Joyce may have been elected on the back of a preferences deal between the Nationals and the Fishing Party, in which the Fishing Party preferenced Mr Joyce in return for a review of the fishing ban.
"The public had a right to know about a secret preferences deal done behind closed doors," Mr Hutton said.
He said the Greens were seeking legal advice about whether to challenge the outcome in the Court of Disputed Returns.
On a bright note for the Greens, Rachel Siewert secured the final spot in Western Australia, giving the minor party four senators, despite securing only a 2 per cent lift in their national vote.
Nationals Senate leader Ron Boswell said the party would treat responsibly its role of Senate powerbroker.
"The Senate will not be held hostage and distracted by the issues of minority interests," Senator Boswell said, in apparent contradiction of his Queensland colleague.
Nationals leader John Anderson, also on leave, said the party would use its newfound power "in the national interest".
Mr Anderson said it was too early to talk about the full sale of Telstra.
"We want services to be up to scratch and to remain up to scratch," he said.
Embattled Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett said public disquiet at the Government's control of both chambers would form the basis of a resurgence of support for his party.
The declaration of the Queensland poll shows One Nation founder Pauline Hanson will receive $199,404 in public funding for the 102,786 votes she received.