RURAL independent MPs have failed to deliver for the bush.
That's according to Greens leader Christine Milne.
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Senator Milne said any expectations country people had about the rural independent MPs raising the profile of major rural issues or delivering big policy outcomes for regional Australia had "not materialised".
Following the hung-parliament result of the 2010 election, independent MPs Bob Katter, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott found themselves in "kingmaker" positions.
Mr Katter sided with the Coalition while Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott threw their support behind Julia Gillard and Labor so Labor could form a minority government.
Senator Milne said there was much anticipation and expectation that Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor in particular would use their positions to put rural issues at the top of the Government's agenda.
"I don't think it has materialised," Senator Milne said. "There have been some good policies for rural and regional Australia that have come out of it, but overwhelmingly nothing like what we expected or the expectations that the bush would have had.
"Rural and regional Australia were left off the agenda and I can understand people would have expectations with independents there that we would get something."
Senator Milne said she had spoken to farmers "suffering from the expansion of coal mines and coal seam gas. They're pretty disgusted because there's a lot of rhetoric from both Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott about supporting them but nothing is happening".
She said it "makes the point about independents".
"They don't have a party platform and they don't have a consistent view on anything," she said. "They represent their own electorates and so they don't necessarily take the broadest view."
While unsure what level of support the independents would pick up at the federal election in September, Senator Milne said people looking for policy outcomes would realise "the independents aren't going to deliver for them".
But Mr Oakeshott said people now viewed independent candidates as a much-needed investment in democracy.
"Independent MPs are exposing political parties through nothing other than hard work and national interest," Mr Oakeshott said.
Mr Windsor refused to comment.









