The support of the man who put man-eating bats at the centre of the post-election debate may have eluded her. But after two weeks of negotiation, Australia’s prime minister, Julia Gillard, has secured the backing of the one Green and two independents she needed to form a government. She will now lead Australia’s first minority administration since the second world war.
The deal provides a measure of redemption for Ms Gillard. Having gained fewer seats and votes than the Liberal-led opposition in last month’s poll, she arguably lost the election. The independents who backed her both hail from conservative-leaning constituencies and might well have sided with her opponent, Tony Abbot. That they did not is testament to her skills as a negotiator.
Despite this success, Ms Gillard’s position remains precarious. Labor has no majority in the Senate. And it is only a by-election away from losing its majority in the House of Representatives. In the rough and tumble of Australian politics, mishaps cannot be ruled out. Moreover, the deal Ms Gillard has struck with the independents is strikingly minimalist. The independents will back Labor on finance bills, and abstain in the event of frivolous no-confidence motions. On all other measures, however, their support will have to be earned.