Turnbull shorten enter third campaign day 20160511 p5uc24.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Majority or fresh election, say parties

AAP

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Voters have a choice between a majority government or a fresh election.

That's the message the coalition and Labor are sending before the July 2 election, amid concerns a tight race could lead to a hung parliament.

In 2010, Julia Gillard signed deals with the Greens and independent MPs to form government after the election resulted in the first hung parliament in seven decades.

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The most recent opinion polls, which have Labor and the coalition level-pegging, raise at least the possibility of another hung parliament.

On the third full day of campaigning, Labor leader Bill Shorten told reporters in north Queensland he was not contemplating falling short of a majority.

"Our aim is to win the first one," Mr Shorten said.

"I'm not going to prejudge what the Australian people will do."

Two senior Labor frontbenchers categorically ruled out any deals.

"We certainly would not be forming any sort of coalition agreement with the Greens," Tony Burke told ABC radio.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said any minority government would be determined purely by a vote of confidence on the floor of the House of Representatives.

"Labor governs alone or not at all," Mr Bowen said.

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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Labor had form when it came to hung parliaments.

He pointed to the example of Greens MP Nick McKim, who worked with Labor to form minority government in Tasmania and was given a cabinet post.

"We know what Labor will do. If they need to do a deal with the Greens, they will do it," the prime minister told reporters in western Sydney.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said in Perth the party would be open to a power-sharing deal with Labor, but not the Liberals.

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"Ultimately it ends up being a negotiation. It would then be a decision up to the Labor party to decide if that's what they want," he said.

Queensland coalition senator Matt Canavan said it would be a "Freddy Krueger outcome".

"It will be nightmare on north Queensland street for us."

Mr Turnbull said western Sydney seats such as Lindsay would be crucial to who forms government.

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"If we hold this seat, then we will be returned to government," he told reporters.

The two leaders will face off at the first televised debate of the campaign in Sydney on Friday.

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