Due to the vagaries of Australian electoral law, while it looks certain that the current opposition (Liberal-National coalition) will form a new, majority, government after Saturday’s election (September 7), the “Greens” will have the balance of power in the upper house until July 2014; if they combine with Labour they can block the legislation of the incoming Coalition government.
It is likely that:
- Moves to repeal the carbon price legislation will be blocked
- The Coalition’s plan to resurrect its building industry watchdog, the Australian Building and Construction Commission, is also likely to be blocked
The coalition’s hugely expensive middle-class welfare spending is safe, with a caveat:
“One is on paid parental leave. We believe it is a workplace entitlement,” she said. However, Senator Milne said Mr Abbott’s plan is “way too excessive”. “We would rein it in to be fairer.”
Coalition policies the Greens will block in the Senate Australian Financial Review (gated)
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I should add. While the composition of the Senate is know through until June 2014, Saturday’s election will result in a new composition after then. If the new Senate is still controlled by Labor and the Greens, Tony Abbott (leader of the coalition likely to form government after Saturday) has promised to call another election.
