ELECTION 2010: Greens sign agreement to back Labor

The Greens have formally moved to back Labor’s bid to form a minority government, with Greens lower house MP Adam Bandt signing an agreement with Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

While Greens’ leader Senator Bob Brown says the agreement is not a step towards a longer-lasting coalition with Labor, the deal is designed to create parliamentary stability over the next three years.

In return for the Greens’ support, Labor has agreed to:

• A climate change committee that will examine all options in moving towards the implantation of a price on carbon and an emission trading scheme.
• Increased scrutiny of political donations.
• A referendum of recognising Indigenous Australians and local government in the Constitution.
• A parliamentary debate on Australia’s deployment in Afghanistan.
• $20 million to examine an east-coast rail link.
• Extra funding for dental services.
• A “leaders debate commission” to look after election debates.
• Establishing a Parliamentary Integrity Commissioner.
• Establishing a Parliamentary Budget Office.
• Other parliamentary reforms.

Brown described the deal (the full list of agreements can be seen here) as “wide-ranging but not all-encompassing” and it is clear that in many areas – particularly around climate change, where Labor had wanted to put off any action until 2012 – there are details to be thrashed out.

Some other key Greens issues – such as same sex marriage – have not been included in the agreement.

The pact between Labor and the Greens could put pressure on the independents to back Labor in the hope of getting three years of relatively stable government.

Given the Greens hold the balance of power in the Senate, they would be able to block any and all legislation from a Coalition government, making it particularly difficult for the Coalition to bring in any regulatory changes.

It was a point not lost on Brown this morning.

“We have made a decision here. We are the first people in this balance of power in both houses to make a decision. We think that will help lead to others making a decision.”

However, Brown said that if Abbott does manage to form a minority government and become Prime Minister, he would then meet him to work out processes for how the Senate would work.

“I give a commitment here to whichever is the next government – our job is to provide the best Senate accountability for that government and we will do just that.”

Abbott and the Coalition are yet to respond on the matter, but Brown said Abbott had told him he will attack the deal.

More to come.