McGowan says she will maintain independence while backing government on supply and matters of confidence

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The independent Cathy McGowan has joined Bob Katter in backing Malcolm Turnbull’s government on matters of supply and confidence.

McGowan’s decision will give comfort to the prime minister and the Coalition as the vote count continues from Saturday night’s election.

Before the two met for talks in Melbourne on Friday, Turnbull expressed confidence that the election would go his way but he also said he would respect the vote and wait until the count had been finalised before declaring victory.

Bill Shorten expects Coalition to 'scrape over the line' – politics live Read more

McGowan emerged from the meeting with Turnbull to say there had been “no offers and no deals” because the meeting was all about making good governance work.

But the independents are understood to be coordinating their positions and, on Thursday, Turnbull expressed support for water irrigation projects in North Queensland being championed by Katter.



McGowan says she only asked for regular contact with Turnbull over the next three years and for goodwill, trust and stability from his government.

“Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and I have agreed that, while maintaining my complete independence, I am prepared to contribute to stability of the 45th parliament by continuing with my past practice of supporting the government of the day on supply and matters of confidence,” McGowan said.

“I’m never in opposition, I don’t oppose things.

“I actually work with the government as an independent to make the government the best we can for the people of Australia and that’s my intention to continue to do that.

Australian election count: everything that could possibly happen now Read more

McGowan said she believed Malcolm Turnbull would have the numbers to form government and congratulated him for that.

But she also said her discussion about supply and confidence was with Turnbull only, so if circumstances changed her position might also change.

McGowan was returned to the seat of Indi after beating Sophie Mirabella.

On Thursday, the crossbench MP Bob Katter declared he would guarantee confidence and supply in the event the Coalition had to form a minority government.

On Friday morning, the education minister, Christopher Pyne, declared the Coalition had already won the election, saying: “You have to say that we are an election-winning machine in the Liberal party.”