disgrace, page-8

Abbott in final bid to cut deal Phillip Coorey
September 7, 2010


Tony Abbott has secured the critical support of the West Australian National MP Tony Crook, after the three rural independents said without Mr Crook the Coalition did not have the numbers to form government.

In a bombshell on the eve of today's expected decision by the three independents, they declared Mr Abbott could not count the breakaway National as a Coalition member because Mr Crook did not consider himself part of the Coalition and had refused to back it to form a minority government.

The three have indicated they will announce their decision today and the Coalition remained pessimistic about its chances, despite shoring up Mr Crook.
Mr Crook had asked for $860 million a year for Western Australia's regions, no mining tax, and a rewrite of the GST funding formula so WA receives more revenue.

But after the independents sounded their warning, Mr Crook crumbled in response to an appeal from the Nationals federal leader, Warren Truss, and severely weakened his bargaining position.

Coalition sources said Mr Crook's electorate would be a beneficiary of a generous rural and regional package Mr Abbott is crafting to woo all the independents.

While restating he would never support Labor to form government because of the mining tax, Mr Crook said last night: ''I will support the Coalition to form a minority government''.

''But I would like to make it clear that there has been no commitment or agreement on our key policy, therefore I will be on the crossbenches until that policy is met.''

The Crook situation was the last hurdle to be cleared before the independents announce their decisions.