THE man chastised as a maverick MP by both major political parties insists he will not be ambushed into helping either form a minority government.

Re-elected Kennedy MP Bob Katter says he and two other independents will "aggressively" demand a better deal for rural Australia before deciding which party to support.

The trio are desperately being lured by the major parties after Saturday’s cliffhanger election.

Bob Katter wins with increased majority in Kennedy | The Cairns Post's Election Editorial | Battleground Far North: your complete guide to the 2010 Federal Election, and how it affects you | Editorial: Make Them Work For Your Vote | Hot election issues in Far North Queensland | Are there too many election signs? | More on Twitter  

With neither party having enough seats to govern in its own right, the three outsiders – with a Greens MP and another likely independent – will decide whether Julia Gillard or Tony Abbott will become prime minister.

Mr Katter was last night talking to fellow independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott via phone, and they were expected to meet in person in Canberra today.

Ms Gillard said she hoped to negotiate an agreement with the MPs to form government.

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

Rural health services, cost-of-living pressures and the provision of government-funded broadband are among Mr Katter’s top priorities.

Also on the list is help for the banana, dairy and sugar industries and the development of the Clean Energy Corridor between Townsville and Mt Isa to link renewable energy projects to the national electricity grid.

And he wanted more support for ethanol in fuel – both to lower its price, and to help the sugar industry.

In Leichhardt, the LNP’s Warren Entsch defeated Labor’s Jim Turnour, but Mr Entsch said he and Mr Katter were "not mates" and "never will be".

But Mr Katter yesterday said, like Mr Entsch, he would make the Cairns southern access road upgrade a major issue to fight joint State and Federal Government plans to turn it into a high-speed motorway.

He wanted a second access road, which Mr Entsch has also called for, instead of widening the existing one.

"The idea that you will stay on the existing roadway would be a disastrous mistake and I personally am not going to book it, so there goes that little idea," Mr Katter said.

"They have to upgrade the existing corridor a bit, but there is no way in the world I am going to accept a situation where we have a high-speed motorway, or where it’s left as the national disgrace it is now."

Nationally, Labor last night had 50.67 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote and the Coalition had 49.33 per cent.

In Queensland, the Coalition was able to win pick off eight Labor seats.

Mr Abbott said the result showed the public expected a change in government, but Ms Gillard claimed a mandate to govern because Labor had won the popular vote.

Commentators say the precariousness of the result could force Australia back to the polls within 12 months.

Independent Andrew Wilkie was looking likely to win the Tasmanian seat of Denison and give his support to Labor.

The final result may not be known for days.

Related articles:

» Bob Kattar candidate profile
» Bob Katter's heavenly plan for Babinda
» Turnour to take on Bob Katter
» Pastor backs Bob Katter's cross plan
» Call for Far North to form its own state

Share this article