It may take some days to decide which party will take power, but the Federal election on Saturday broke with a four decade tradition. Eden-Monaro has been the bellwether seat since 1972, going with the winning party. However this year, while sitting member Dr Mike Kelly recorded a 2.3% swing towards him, on the two party preferred vote, his party, the ALP recorded a swing of around 2% against it. The Greens doubled their representation in the federal parliament
Dr Mike Kelly has retained the seat with 32,532 first preference votes against Liberal challenger David Gazard receiving 31,042.
Green candidate and Palerang candidate Catherine Moore received 6779, Olga Quilty 902, Ray Buckley 972, Tom Gradwell 632, Ursula Bennett 513, and Frank Fragiacomo 458.
Dr Kelly said on Monday, "I would like to thank the people of Eden-Monaro for placing their confidence in me following my re-election on Saturday night.
I have felt very privileged to be able to work together with our community over the past three years and I look forward to representing Eden-Monaro over the next three years.
I would like to congratulate my opponents on a good, clean campaign that was focused on the issues at stake instead of personal attacks.
I am committed to delivering on the projects that I have committed to during the campaign and intend to build on my plan of making Eden-Monaro a flagship for Renewable Energy which will create new jobs for the future of our kids in rewarding careers.
Regardless of the result at a National level I will continue to work with the people of Eden-Monaro to build on our shared vision and represent their views to the Australian Parliament" Dr Kelly said.
With the Greens gaining up to nine senate places and one in the House of Representatives, Catherine Moore, Greens candidate for Eden-Monaro said, "Our success across Australia signals that The Greens are now very much part of the mainstream."
"The 2% swing to the Greens across NSW lays a strong foundation for the March 2011 State Election. As Bob Brown said on election night, we are the smaller party with big ideas, a good option for voters fed up with the big parties with small ideas" said Catherine.
With Independents now holding the cards in determining who will govern, the issues facing rural Australia, such as broadband, health and infrastructure, should get a real hearing in the corridors of power.
According to the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA), the hung parliament could be the best thing for rural health if independent MPs stand up for their electorates, Dr Nola Maxfield, RDAA President, said that with three independent MPs from rural seats, there is a unique opportunity for rural Australia to have a real voice in how health is provided in rural Australia.
The three independents have been labelled everything from 'Agrarian Socialists' to the 'Haystack Amigos' by the media, as the main parties bid for their support.
According to legal experts from The ANU, the country could have to wait three months before knowing the answer to the constitutional conundrum. Professor Donald Rothwell of the ANU College of Law says that caretaker Prime Minister Julia Gillard potentially has time on her side to conduct negotiations with the independent MPs.
"The Parliament must meet within 30 days of the return of the election writs. The writs must be returned by 27 October," said Professor Rothwell.
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