independent seats want abbott..poll

Voters in key seats want Abbott, poll shows
Updated 3 hours 13 minutes ago


Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter are considering which side to support. (AAP: Mark Graham)


A new poll shows an overwhelming number of voters in the seats of the three rural independent MPs want them to support the Coalition.

Independent MPs Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter are expected to hold the balance of power in a hung parliament and have put a set of demands to the major parties as they consider which side to support.

The Newspoll published in The Weekend Australian newspaper shows the highest support for a Tony Abbott-led Coalition government is in Mr Katter's seat of Kennedy.

Fifty-six per cent of those surveyed in the north Queensland electorate prefer the Coalition, while 29 per cent support Labor.

Voters in Mr Windsor's New South Wales seat of New England favour a Coalition government by 55 per cent to 35 per cent, according to the poll.

The poll found the lowest level of Coalition support in the NSW seat of Lyne, held by Mr Oakeshott - there, 52 per cent prefer the Coalition and 38 per cent prefer Labor.

The poll comes as Prime Minister Julia Gillard prepares for her first face-to-face meeting with independent candidate Andrew Wilkie today.

Mr Wilkie is set to win the Tasmanian seat of Denison, making him the fourth independent in the Lower House who will have to decide which party to support in minority government.

Greens MP Adam Bandt has indicated he will side with Labor.

Mr Wilkie has already spoken to Ms Gillard, but will hold his first formal meeting with her in Melbourne today, and will meet with Opposition Leader Mr Abbott next week.

He says he will be working separately to the three incumbent independents.

Counting is continuing but the Coalition is likely to hold 73 seats to Labor's 72.