Legal Niches

How Broadband Reshaped Politics in Australia

By james_fudge

Australia's ambitious national broadband plan has helped shape political power in the country as independent politicians form alliances over issues related to its future. On August 21 Australia held its national elections, but the results did not define a clear political party as the leader. With the Labor Party, the Greens, and Liberal Party holding no major majority, the country was left in a deadlock ever since the election.

But with the national broadband plan as the main issue being kicked around, it took three independent candidates to break things up and give one particular party a slim majority. One of those independents sided with the Liberals, another cast his vote with Labor and - the third and deciding vote - MP Tony Windsor, also threw his support to the Labor Party.

Why did Windsor side with Labor? Because he knew that whoever was in power would ultimately decide the fate of the national broadband plan - and being a rural MP, it was a key issue in the election. Because of that, Windsor sided with Labor yesterday, giving the party a 76-74 majority in parliament and the power to form a new government. Read More

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Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on September 08, 2010 (boomark / email).