Australian election 2010

Australian voters have had a rapid lesson in coalition forming these past two weeks, after having sent a message to all political parties of their dissatisfaction.

Labor Party leader Julia Gillard will form the first minority federal government in Australia since 1940 after winning the support of key rural independents.

Australians probably won't know who their next prime minister will be until tomorrow, with the federal independents continuing their deliberations in Canberra.

After two nerve-racking weeks, the three country independent MPs are about to decide who will form government.

Independent MP Bob Katter is a hair's breadth away from deciding which major party he will support to help form government.

Australia's opposition Liberal Party had overstated national savings from their election promises by up to $A10.6 billion, according to official figures released by independent lawmakers who are likely to decide which political party forms the next government.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott does not believe the coalition's $A11 billion squabble with Treasury over costings is a bad look as he prepares for further talks with independent MPs.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says an offer made to him by Prime Minister Julia Gillard to gain his support in forming the next government is "unsatisfactory".

New Australian Greens MP Adam Bandt has formally sided with Labor in the hopes of forming a minority government.

Deputy opposition leader Julie Bishop says Labour now has no legitimate claim to form a government after falling behind the coalition on the two-party-preferred vote.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard will front the National Press Club today as the odds of being able to form government seem stacked against her.

In past lives, they were a labourer, an administrative officer, an intelligence analyst, a farmer and a barrister. Today, they are the five most powerful people in Australian politics and are being wooed by that country's Labor Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Australians went to bed last night with the nation in political limbo, facing its first hung parliament since World War II.

Julia Gillard has marked a week since the deadlocked federal election by meeting with another crossbench MP who could decide her political fate.

A conservative political leader has rejected key demands from three independent lawmakers who are likely to decide which party forms Australia's next government after indecisive elections.

Labour's chances of retaining the seat of Brisbane are growing with the Liberal National Party's (LNP) slight lead almost halving in one day.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's reluctance to bow to one of the main demands of three key independents has put Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the driver's seat to form a minority government.