Julia Gillard’s government on brink as party has less MPs than Opposition

Ms Gillard has sought to distance herself from the scandals ahead of the
forthcoming budget which is vital to turning around her government’s deep
unpopularity.

“I feel keenly that Australians
are looking at this parliament and at the moment they see a dark cloud over
it,” she said. “I want to ensure that Australians can look at this
building, look at this institution and feel respect for this institution.”

Mr Thomson has insisted he is innocent but agreed to suspend his Labour
membership to try to end the ongoing “distraction for the government”.
He said he would support the government against any no-confidence motion and
in supply bills.

“This is a matter that has gone on for about four years … I’ve had two
baby girls in the time this investigation has gone ahead,” he said. “I
am confident that in a reasonably short period of time the truth will out
and I will be vindicated.”

Mr Slipper, too, has denied the allegations despite releasing taxi vouchers
last week which he said disproved the fraud claims but only seemed to raise
further questions. Some of the receipts recorded the same expenses for
different journeys or were for trips in the middle of the night or trips
that appeared unrelated to government business.

Ms Gillard faces an enduring run of dismal approval ratings and brewing
speculation of a leadership challenge.

“Does she really think her explanation will be credible to an already
deeply disillusioned public?” said Michelle Grattan, a political
commentator for The Age. “Gillard presumably hopes people will see
[the] spectacular gesture as a grand deck-clearing exercise. But it is all
too late, and her explanation is too inadequate.”

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