Self-indulgent ... No-one was giving the thumbs up to Rob Oakeshott's blather. Credit:Andrew Meares Mr Oakeshott and his fellow independent MP Tony Windsor started their press conference just after 3pm in Parliament's main committee room. Public interest was intense following Bob Katter's decision earlier in the day to back the Coalition. Katter's move meant there were two possible outcomes depending on how both Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor jumped. Labor would form government if both backed Julia Gillard; but if they split two ways, then it would be deadlocked at 75 votes for a Labor minority government and 75 for a Coalition minority government.

The contrast between how the two independents presented themselves was stark. Mr Windsor made a couple of succinct opening remarks, declared that he would support Labor and made some brief comments about the reasons for his decision. Then he handed over to Mr Oakeshott who decided to play the moment for all it was worth, by holding back his actual decision and instead running through all of the reasons, factors and issues which had preyed on his mind. It was not until 26 minutes after the press conference had started that Mr Oakeshott finally shared with the public his decision on the final vote that would either give Australia a government or send it back to an election. At one point he deliberately played up the suspense, saying that the numbers on the floor of the House could still go either 76-74 Ms Gillard's way or be deadlocked 75 votes apiece.

When he finally announced his decision, Julia Gillard and the entire Labor Party will have breathed a sigh of relief at finally falling over the line. But the erratic performance earlier today of Queensland independent Bob Katter and the self-indulgent behaviour of Mr Oakeshott will sound a small warning bell for the incoming minority Labor government. For despite the rhetoric of the independents about new political paradigms and a co-operative approach to policy-making, today's performances by Messrs Oakeshott and Katter suggest that on contentious pieces of legislation and policy issues, the government could be hostage to some unhelpful theatrics from two of the three rural independents. Loading Little wonder Gillard has moved to get the loquacious member for Lyne further inside the Labor tent by offering to appoint Mr Oakeshott to a frontbench position.

Mark Davis is the national editor for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.