Oz opposition leader blasts Gillard for ‘debasing polity’ to cling to power

MELBOURNE - Australian Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott, who heads the conservative opposition coalition, has criticised Prime Minister Julia Gillard over her decision to allow three Independents full access to confidential Treasury advice.

Independents Bob Katter, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor have met both Abbott and Gillard to deliver their list of seven key issues on forming a government.

The three men hold the key to decide whether Abbott’s coalition or Gillard’s Labor Party forms a government, after the weekend elections failed to give any party a majority in the 150-seat House of Representatives for the first time in 70 years.

One of their demands is for full access to the head of the Treasury and Finance departments.

Abbott has rejected full disclosure to Treasury, while Gillard has accepted the demand.

The Opposition leader said that the Independents should not be allowed full access to confidential information.

“What we’ve got here is a desperate Prime Minister trashing the Westminster system in an attempt to hold onto power,” News.com.au quoted Abbott, as saying.

“This is a desperate government further debasing our polity,” he added.
However, Treasurer Wayne Swan said that an exception should be made in the circumstances.

“I think that’s vital information they would require to take a decision in the national interest,” Swann said. (ANI)