Veteran Nationals’ Senator Ron Boswell today challenged the Prime Minister to rule out giving Greens Senator Bob Brown a Ministry in a re-elected Labor government.

“The possibility of a Ministry for the Greens Leader was raised in the media today and it is essential that voters know the precise role of the Greens if Labor is re-elected.”

“No details of the preference deal between Labor and the Greens have been publicly released.  Yet there is nothing more important to the future of Australia than the details of that deal.”

“If Labor wins, Australia will in all likelihood have an historic minority government shackled by the Greens holding the balance of power in the Senate.”

“As Father of the Senate and in my 28th year as a Senator, I can say that this would be a unique and dangerous new power sharing alignment which we have never seen before.  The election should focus far more on the Greens and their policies and deals with Labor.”

“The Prime Minister is adept at deals with front bench positions. The problem is there are too many secret deals.  If Labor is re-elected, who would be Foreign Minister? Who would be Finance Minister? Would there be a Greens Minister?”

“Australians have a right to know now, before the election, not after.”

ENDS