TONY Abbott is facing pressure to promise a better deal for regional Australia, as he tries to overcome competition between the Nationals and the country independent trio he needs to win over.
After a meeting of the Nationals, who increased their seats at the election, leader Warren Truss yesterday said more needed to be done for regional Australia.
''We will stand up for regional Australia and make sure that we deliver a share of our nation's growth and prosperity back to the regions,'' Mr Truss said.
WA National Tony Crook attended the meeting but made it clear he will go to the crossbenches unless he can see the prospect of a bucket of money for his state.
With federal politics still in its post-election gridlock, both Mr Abbott and Prime Minister Julia Gillard met the country independents - Bob Katter, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor - as well as Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie, who is operating separately.
Mr Wilkie said last night he had not decided who to support and he might take longer than his self-imposed deadline of today or tomorrow. He sought ''stable, competent, ethical government''.
''I would not do anything irresponsible so if I decide to support neither, it will not be at the expense of stability. So by implication I wouldn't block supply,'' he said. Mr Wilkie's core demands are fixing the Hobart hospital and reining in poker machines.
Today Ms Gillard will address the National Press Club, on her case for remaining in government. A strong tide to the Coalition in late counting has wiped out Labor's lead on the two-party preferred vote - which Ms Gillard has cited as a reason for the independents to back her government.
The independents have taken up a proposal by Labor strategist Bruce Hawker - who is acting as a mediator between the government and the trio on parliamentary reform - for a more consensus-based process for handling contentious government legislation.
This means bills would initially go to a committee drawn from both houses and all parties and the crossbenches to try to get agreement. A second proposal to bring more consensus would provide for joint sittings of the houses to consider issues, without votes being taken.
At the Nationals' meeting Mr Crook, who campaigned on wanting nearly $900 million for WA regions to match the state ''royalties for regions'' scheme, made it clear he didn't want his agenda compromised.
He also indicated that while he might stay in the Nationals party room, he was not keen to attend the joint Coalition parties meetings.
Another new member, Ken O'Dowd, from the Queensland seat of Flynn, pointed out to the meeting that a lot of royalties came through his Gladstone-based seat of Flynn and said he needed funds for his area. ''I can help you do it,'' Mr Crook said.
Mr Crook said last night ''the jury's still out'' as to whether he would stay in the Nationals' party room or sit on the crossbenches.
Coalition relations with the independents are on tenterhooks, with Mr Abbott trying to stop indiscretions from his troops. Outspoken Liberal senator Bill Heffernan outraged Mr Oakeshott when he rang the independent's phone and introduced himself to Mrs Oakeshott, whom he mistook for one of the children, as ''the Devil''.
When Mr Truss was asked in the party room about Mr Oakeshott's allegation that he had allowed a smear campaign against him, Mr Truss said he didn't know what Mr Oakeshott was talking about.
The Nationals' Senate leader, Barnaby Joyce, admitted he was biting his tongue so as not to upset the independents. ''I'm a realist,'' he said. ''These guys do have immense power, they will determine the future of our nation.''
On election night, Labor was credited with 50.7 per cent of the two-party vote. But by last night that had disappeared, with the Coalition taking a lead of 636 votes after preferences.
One reason is that officials have now removed all eight seats where the final contest was not between the Coalition and Labor - including the six seats won by the independents, Greens and WA Nationals, and two seats where the Greens were runners-up.
Adding them, Labor's vote now is about 50.1 per cent. But with a million votes still to be counted, the odds are that the Coalition will end up the winner.
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