Let’s assume the Gillard government gets back. I don’t want to argue here how likely that is – we’ll just assume it.
What would the government look like and how would she behave?
Gillard would have had a near political death experience. That would, I reckon, make here very cautious. Certainly no major reforms. Whatever she has had to promise the independents, she will pander to them. She can’t afford to upset them. Within the party, she won’t take on the factions. They got here there.
Parliament will be a disaster, what with all the courtesies promised to the independents – time for private members’ bills and such.
Also, she will be guessing that there will be an election before three years . She will have promised not to go early but there will be a getout clause for extraordinary circumstances. (What did Fraser use in 1975 to deny supply after promising not to?) So she will give bribes to the seats she needs to win back. Not difficult but not good government either.
Or could we all be surprised?
