Abbott 'not seeking another election'

12:00 AEST Sat Aug 28 2010

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By ninemsn staff




Opposition leader Tony Abbott. (AAP)

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Opposition leader Tony Abbott has rejected accusations from Greens leader Bob Brown that he is secretly planning to force another election.




Senator Brown, as well as several other politicians, have suggested that Mr Abbott is trying to undermine negotiations with the three independent MPs likely to decide the winner in a hung parliament, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.




But Mr Abbott denied the allegations, telling the newspaper that he wants to make the current situation work.




"The public wants politicians to form a stable and competent government and the Coalition can do that," he said.




Speculation arose that Mr Abbott wanted to force another election after he refused to reveal the Treasury costings of his election policies.




Mr Abbott has since agreed to hand over the Coalition's budget policies.




Meanwhile, independent MP Tony Windsor has revealed he received an abusive phone call from a Liberal party representative, though he declined to name who it was.




''Someone in the Liberals called me today and gave me a mouthful of abuse, saying why don't I just get on with it and go back to an election," he said.




With both Labor and the Coalition lacking the 76 seats needed in the House of Representatives to form a government, both parties need the support of independent MPs.




Counting continues in several electorates yet to be called for either party


http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/election2010/7952476/abbott-not-seeking-another-election


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