SYDNEY: Australia`s opposition leader Tony Abbott Wednesday threatened to bring down Julia Gillard`s fragile minority government, one day after it was sworn in, by persuading independent MPs to support him.
Neither leader won an outright majority at August 21 polls but Gillard`s ruling Labor party was returned to office after the prime minister managed to broker the support of minority lawmakers.
But Abbott said he was determined to lure two rural "kingmaker" independents to his side by convincing them that Labor`s planned national broadband network was a wasteful mistake -- a move that would smash Gillard`s hold on power.
"I think that`s what we should be doing," Abbott said, when asked whether he would try to persuade the unaligned MPs to defect.
"Exposing the waste and extravagance inherent in the government`s broadband plans, that becomes a very real prospect," Abbott told ABC radio.
But country independents Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor have said Labor`s plan to bring broadband to 93 percent of Australian homes was crucial in winning their support.
A third unaligned MP, Andrew Wilkie, whose vote is also crucial to Gillard holding onto her 76-74 lead in seats in the lower house, also supports the scheme.
"I don`t think we need another election," Abbott said, indicating that he would attempt to wrest power from Gillard by persuading the independents to switch sides, giving him enough seats to form a Liberal-led government.
Gillard dismissed the threats, saying Abbott had no Internet policy of his own to win the independents over and was only interested in negative attacks.
"Anybody can get on the radio and spew out criticisms -- easily done, and of course the opposition will be doing that," Gillard said.
"But what really is the test here is what would you do differently? Mr Abbott can`t answer that."
Windsor also poured cold water on the prospect, saying he wouldn`t "be pushing the government out of power over one particular issue or another" and would only be swayed by corruption or serious maladministration by Labor.
Meanwhile, Oakeshott was forced to cancel a public meeting in his constituency Wednesday after threats were made against him for choosing to support Gillard.
"You just don`t know whether they are people venting their views on the decisions that have been taken over the last two weeks or whether there is something a bit more malicious," Oakeshott said.
Police couldn`t immediately confirm reports that they were investigating the threats.
BDST: 0928 HRS, September 15, 2010
