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May 10th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Posted
Independent federal MP Rob Oakeshott has called on the Opposition to put up or shut up over its plans to move a motion of no-confidence against the Government.
The Coalition has said for weeks that it will put a motion of no-confidence on the parliamentary notice paper this sitting period, however it has backed away from plans to do so on budget day.
It will now only say the motion will be put on notice some time after the budget is handed down on Tuesday.
Mr Oakeshott says Opposition Leader Tony Abbott should stop using the threat of a no-confidence motion as a political tactic and show he is serious about the measure.
“There’s all sorts of public commentary, all sorts of public chest-beating, all sorts of anticipation, but in the end we deal with what’s in the parliament,” he told ABC News Online.
“There is no no-confidence motion and it is increasingly sounding like, in the first sitting week at least, there won’t be.”
Mr Oakeshott says he will “more than likely” support allowing a debate on the motion if indeed it is put to the parliament.
He was one of three independents who voted to suspend standing orders and allow the one and only no-confidence motion that has been moved by Mr Abbott.
The Opposition sought to move the motion on the last day before the Autumn parliamentary break – after the Labor Party’s botched leadership challenge.
But that initial motion to suspend standing orders failed so the no-confidence motion itself was never even put.
Mr Oakeshott says it appears the Opposition does not want a debate about a no-confidence motion to clash with budget week and Mr Abbott’s reply to the budget on Thursday night.
“I think this is a real choice for the Coalition to make,” he said.
“They either back up their rhetoric and bring on this no-confidence motion or they drop it and just focus on their budget in reply and playing the game of politics.”
Independent MP Tony Windsor, who also voted to hear the no-confidence motion on the previous occasion, says he is likely to again support a move.
However both MPs have warned they will be looking for “real substance” in any push against the Government.
Topics:
federal-parliament,
parliament,
federal-government,
alp,
liberals,
government-and-politics,
australia
Source Article from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-10/coalition-challenged-on-no-confidence-motion/4682324
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