‘No deals with ALP’: Andrew Wilkie’s advice to Teals and crossbench ahead of election

Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie said he would ensure he had the ‘freedom of manoeuvre’ in the next term and ruled out striking a deal with Labor as he had done with the Gillard government.

Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie. Picture: Linda Higginson

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Parliament’s most senior progressive independent has vowed not to enter into a formal deal with a minority Labor government to assure supply and confidence over the next three years, and he is telling first-term teals about the benefits of doing the same.

As Labor’s controversial electoral reforms passed parliament, Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie said he would ensure he had the “freedom of manoeuvre” in the next term and ruled out striking a deal with Labor as he had done with the Gillard government.

“I want to make one thing perfectly clear … as far as my negotiations with the future government. Unlike what I did in 2010, if I am re-elected at the forthcoming federal election this time around, I will not enter into a formal deal with the next government for my support for supply and confidence,” he said.

“Instead, I will approach every single vote on its merits, including possibly on day one, a vote of confidence in the government.”

Mr Wilkie – whose seat of Denison is in an area previously held by Labor – said he had learned in 2010 that agreeing to any kind of deal that lasted the whole of a three-year term “locks you in” and that “you lose your freedom to manoeuvre”.

The Australian understands it is this lesson that Mr Wilkie has been sharing with the teal independents, who have increasingly faced questions over what they would do in minority government in light of Labor’s move to pass electoral reforms that cap political donations and spending.

Mr Wilkie confirmed he would “look for every opportunity to have these political donation and expenditure changes overturned” should Labor find itself in minority.

Helen Haines – independent for the Victorian seat of Indi since 2019 – said she would also not enter a formal deal and declared she would “never sell” her vote and that “every negotiation” would be on the table.

“Signing deals with either major party takes away the most useful tool that I have, and that’s to sit down with whoever minister is trying to pursue a piece of legislation and make it better,” she said “And indeed, one of the opportunities … we have in a balance of power situation is to work with the standing orders and make sure that private members’ bills get a run.”

Mr Wilkie with Julia Gillard in 2010. Picture: AAP

Independents and the Greens have criticised Labor’s electoral reforms, passed with the support of the Coalition this week, arguing the changes entrench the advantages of the two major parties.

Curtin independent Kate Chaney, who comes from a well-known Liberal family in Western Australia, said the passing of the bill had impacted her willingness to continue engaging in “good faith” with Labor.

“This is a blow to the trust that we have with this government,” she said. “I’ve been trying to engage in good faith for a couple of years on this reform, and it gets pushed through impossibly on the last day. So that does undermine trust.”

But she stopped short of revealing her plans for a minority government, saying she was a “pragmatist” who would work with everyone in the lower house.

The electoral reforms are aimed at keeping big money from organisations like Climate 200 out of politics, with the progressive body for the first time backing a candidate against a Labor minister at the upcoming election, launching a campaign on Thursday in Julie Collins’ seat of Franklin in Tasmania.

Zali Stegall. Picture: NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Warringah independent Zali Steggall was clear that the passing of the electoral reforms didn’t “bode well for having to work with an Albanese-led government in a minority situation”.

“This must be reviewed independently and there would need to be a commitment to change what’s found to be undemocratic and unfair and too biased towards major parties,” she said.

“It is really disappointing. I’ve had a very productive, engaging relationship over the course of this term with a number of ministers … from Chris Bowen to Jim Chalmers. But this is very underhanded of the Prime Minister and Don Farrell.”