Federal election 2025: Rural independents Helen Haines and Bob Katter appear at National Press Club

Two rural independents who will be crucial in determining who runs the country for the next three years have appeared together in the national capital. See what they had to say.

Indi MP Helen Haines has hosed down the hung parliament disruption factor by pointing to “some significant reforms” being achieved by the former Labor Gillard government that relied on crossbenchers to retain office in 2010.

Dr Haines and fellow independent Bob Katter sidestepped questions on who they would back in the event of another hung parliament during a National Press Club function in Canberra on Friday.

But Dr Haines, who is poised to secure a third term in the North East electorate, said: “This business of a forever thing is not necessarily so.

“What we want to see is stable government and really good legislation.

“We saw in the Gillard government, arguably some of the best negotiations, some bad ones too, but plenty of legislation going through and some significant reforms.

“I will never sign a deal that throws away my vote on every piece of legislation.”

Kennedy MP Bob Katter and Indi MP Helen Haines address the Rural and National Press Clubs of Australia at the National Press Club in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The NDIS, health and education were big policy focus areas of the Gillard government which also suspended live cattle exports.

The latest opinion polls are pointing to the likely prospect of minority government with the crossbench numbers swelling since 2010 when the Gillard government was returned with the backing of Greens MP Adam Bandt and three independents, Andrew Wilkie, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor.

Dr Haines and Mr Katter said they wanted to see more from both major parties on agriculture before the election.

“What I hear from my farmers and what is holding them back is workforce, housing and critical enabling infrastructure,” she said.

“I don’t see anything from the majors on how they are going to fix that element.”

Mr Katter said: “For reasons I don’t fully understand the Labor Party has really antagonised regional Australia.

“If I was to start talking about climate change I could forget about being re-elected.

“I represent the steel cap boot mob.

“I represent the industrial heartland, the mining industry, very, very much.”