ID :
212395
Wed, 10/12/2011 - 12:46
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/212395
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Gillard makes final bid to win over WA MP
SYDNEY (AAP) - Oct 12 - Prime Minister Julia Gillard has made a last-ditch attempt to win crossbench MP Tony Crook's support for the government's otherwise doomed bid to resurrect its Malaysian people swap deal.
The government's legislation is set to come to a vote in the lower house on Thursday but Mr Crook is yet to declare his hand.
Ms Gillard met with the West Australian National in Canberra on Wednesday as she sought to prevent what could be a historic and embarrassing parliamentary defeat.
But Mr Crook's spokeswoman later said he would not be revealing his intentions until Thursday morning, just hours before the vote is set to take place.
"He's making his decision and we'll be announcing it tomorrow," the spokeswoman said.
The legislation aims to restore the government's power to send asylum seekers to third countries, which was put in doubt by the August 31 High Court verdict that sank the Malaysia deal.
The government believes it has won the backing of independents Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter - although the latter two have not publicly confirmed their support.
Mr Katter did give a strong indication on Wednesday that he will support Labor on the issue.
He also said he believed it was unlikely Indonesia would agree to a key plank of the coalition's border security policy - turning around asylum seeker boats at sea.
If Mr Oakeshott and Mr Katter do side with the government, Mr Crook's vote will be decisive.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has been lobbying Mr Crook to side with him, which would ensure the Labor minority government's first legislative defeat in the lower house.
That would make Ms Gillard the first leader to lose a vote on legislation in the lower house in more than 80 years.
The other option for the government is to withdraw the bill from parliament if it cannot win Mr Crook's support.
Ms Gillard has refused to say whether the government would do that, saying she was focused on the carbon pricing legislation that passed the lower house on Wednesday.
But whatever happens in the lower house, the asylum seeker legislation is set for defeat in the Senate because both the coalition and Australian Greens oppose it.
Meanwhile, a parliamentary committee probing Australia's immigration detention network has asked for a five-month extension to deliver its report.
The Joint Select Committee on Australia's Immigration Detention Network was supposed to report this month but is now expected to report in March next year.
The government's legislation is set to come to a vote in the lower house on Thursday but Mr Crook is yet to declare his hand.
Ms Gillard met with the West Australian National in Canberra on Wednesday as she sought to prevent what could be a historic and embarrassing parliamentary defeat.
But Mr Crook's spokeswoman later said he would not be revealing his intentions until Thursday morning, just hours before the vote is set to take place.
"He's making his decision and we'll be announcing it tomorrow," the spokeswoman said.
The legislation aims to restore the government's power to send asylum seekers to third countries, which was put in doubt by the August 31 High Court verdict that sank the Malaysia deal.
The government believes it has won the backing of independents Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter - although the latter two have not publicly confirmed their support.
Mr Katter did give a strong indication on Wednesday that he will support Labor on the issue.
He also said he believed it was unlikely Indonesia would agree to a key plank of the coalition's border security policy - turning around asylum seeker boats at sea.
If Mr Oakeshott and Mr Katter do side with the government, Mr Crook's vote will be decisive.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has been lobbying Mr Crook to side with him, which would ensure the Labor minority government's first legislative defeat in the lower house.
That would make Ms Gillard the first leader to lose a vote on legislation in the lower house in more than 80 years.
The other option for the government is to withdraw the bill from parliament if it cannot win Mr Crook's support.
Ms Gillard has refused to say whether the government would do that, saying she was focused on the carbon pricing legislation that passed the lower house on Wednesday.
But whatever happens in the lower house, the asylum seeker legislation is set for defeat in the Senate because both the coalition and Australian Greens oppose it.
Meanwhile, a parliamentary committee probing Australia's immigration detention network has asked for a five-month extension to deliver its report.
The Joint Select Committee on Australia's Immigration Detention Network was supposed to report this month but is now expected to report in March next year.
