Maybe he will not back either side... ABC Online.. Key independent MP Bob Katter says former prime minister Kevin Rudd twisted his arm in behind-the-scenes negotiations in a bid to get him to throw his weight behind Labor in the House of Representatives.
Speaking to reporters in Canberra this morning, the North Queensland MP said the "jury is still out" on which side of politics he would support but warned that he would "still be potent" no matter which side he opted for.
When asked how much Mr Rudd had "twisted his arm" when the pair met for dinner he replied: "Pretty firmly. I was very surprised."
"He just used arguments that there would be a continuation of the sort of government that he provided. I make no secret of the fact that [Mr Rudd] provided good government.
"Even if my two colleagues were to go the other way I'm still in a very powerful position here," he added. "I'm going to be still out there and very, very potent indeed."
Mr Katter, one of the three remaining unaligned independent MPs who will decide the balance of power in the House of Representatives, is outlining his key demands ahead of what is expected to be a busy weekend of last-minute behind-the-scenes talks with both sides of politics.
His 20-point wishlist includes a call for more Government control over interest rates to keep the value of the Australian dollar down.
He also opposes Labor's mining tax and emissions trading scheme and wants measures to reduce the market domination of Coles and Woolworths and mandate the use of ethanol in Australian petrol.
Speaking to the media this morning, Mr Katter said he was not naive enough to think he would get all of his demands.
"Obviously a government that is heading in that direction [of the list] would be far more acceptable to me than a government that is heading away from that direction," he said.
"[Julia Gillard] is indicating these things are not so hard and fast and set in concrete, and she wasn't making any concessions on these items, but she was just saying there's a lot of room for negotiation here and I think there is."
Even though Mr Katter opposes the mining tax and ETS he says it does not necessarily mean his list leans towards the Coalition, because he is also very supportive of Labor's National Broadband Network.
Negotiations between the trio of undecided independents and the major parties are continuing today after independent MP Andrew Wilkie's decision yesterday to back Labor in return for $340 million for the Royal Hobart Hospital.
Mr Wilkie turned down a $1 billion offer from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Mr Katter has accused both sides of politics of pork barrelling.
"We now know what you are, it's just a matter of how expensive you are," he said.
"We've established that they're out there buying support."
