THEIR time is up – Australia has waited 17 days and now three men will decide who will form government. Since the Gillard Government went into caretaker mode almost two months ago, thousands of cancer patients have gone without drug treatments, pay rises have been delayed and a solution to the asylum seeker issue is on hold. With national retailers and business leaders claiming consumer confidence was also being affected by the uncertainty, the way is finally clear for Bob Katter, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor to make a decision. Late yesterday, agreement was reached with Tony Abbott on critical parliamentary reforms already agreed to by Julia Gillard. As Labor sources revealed the “momentum” appeared to be going their way, Coalition insiders said a “realism” had set in that it was unlikely to go theirs. Both major parties yesterday also offered unprecedented regional development packages in a final round of meetings with the independents. Sources close to the negotiations said both sides had offered “significant” regional development assistance, including prime ministerial oversight of regional and rural policy as well as funding for regional infrastructure. Ms Gillard needs only one of the three independent's support to take Labor to 75 out of the 150 seats in Parliament, one short of being able to form government, but denying Mr Abbott government as well. To avoid a deadlock and a return to the polls at least two would have to back Labor, or all three would need to go with the Coalition. Mr Oakeshott yesterday alluded to the possibility that they were split in who to support: “It does look like we may have to make some choices about whether we stick together or not.” But the long wait for government is starting to take its toll on the lives of Australians. Patients with bowel cancer and those at risk of acute myeloid leukemia are waiting for a government to be formed so it can rubber stamp an expert government committee's recommendation it subsidise two new high-cost drugs – the $20,000-a-year Erbitux and $40,000-a-year Vidaza. Dr Anna Williamson from the Leukemia Foundation said some patients were talking about mortgaging their houses to pay for the drugs as they feared the ongoing delay in approving subsidies could endanger their lives. A national equal pay case for 200,000 social workers has also been affected. A new pipeline to improve water supply water to Canberra, which is still facing water restrictions, is on hold waiting approval from Environment Minister Peter Garrett. Negotiations over a new offshore refugee processing centre in either East Timor or Nauru can't take place during the caretaker period, while more boatloads of asylum seekers arrive. Retail figures show Australians are delaying purchases on big-ticket items such as whitegoods and furniture, a delay which retail groups believe is so consumers can ascertain which policy direction a new government will take. “We want a decision as soon as possible, but certainly we want to ensure that whatever decision is made is made in the interests of the country,” Australian Retailers Association director Russell Zimmerman said. added by: eden49
