Independent MP Bob Katter has backed the Coalition - but says he may retract his support should Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott decide to go with Labor.
Mr Katter this afternoon held a press conference in his Canberra office, after originally planning a joint announcement with his two fellow independents at 3pm.
‘‘I will be backing the Coalition, yes,’’ Mr Katter told reporters.
The Kennedy MP said he had been very disappointed by the treatment of former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who had pleaded with him to support Labor.
Mr Katter said there was "enormous anger" over Mr Rudd's axing and his decision would have been different had he still been Labor leader.
‘‘Kevin’s thinking and my thinking are very similar, I’m very good friends with him," he said.
Mr Katter said the two had spent two nights together while he was ‘‘in agony’’ over the decision.
However, when asked what he would do if Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor backed Labor, Mr Katter indicated he could switch sides in the interests of stability.
"I would put it to you this way: I would most certainly see a moral responsibility to look at the issue of stability," he said.
"I would have no difficulty in working with the government whatsoever and also I would feel a moral responsibility to support the government that is in there to provide stability and confidence in Australia.
"If at 3pm the independents decide to go Labor then I would respect the integrity of their decision, as I would also be respecting the integrity of the people of Australia's decision."
"Every single one of us has a responsibility to deliver stable government.
"I don't think the Prime Minister of Australia should be walking around thinking someone like me is going to be stabbing her in the back and neither should Tony Abbott."
Mr Katter said the Coalition had done better on eight of the 20 points he had listed to swing his vote - nominating ethanol policy and indigenous affairs and the wild rivers legislation in Queensland as the major differences.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had been able to satisfy him on eight of his 20 concerns while Prime Minister Julia Gillard had only been able to satisfy him on one of the issues, Mr Katter said.
He said he did not know how Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott would vote.
Mr Katter’s decision means Mr Abbott and Ms Gillard are both now sitting on 74 of the 76 votes they need to form a minority government.
If they fall in behind Mr Katter, the Coalition will form government. If they both support Labor, then Julia Gillard will form government.
But if they split between the Coalition and Labor then the numbers in the new House of Representives would be tied at 75 apiece.
Mr Katter said he would respect Mr Windsor’s and Mr Oakeshott’s decision on which party they would back.
‘‘They have very moral convictions and they will follow through on those convictions,’’ he told reporters.
‘‘I will most certainly respect whatever decision they make.’’
Mr Katter said he had not told Ms Gillard or Mr Abbott of his decision before calling the press conference.‘‘I haven’t told anybody at all,’’ he said.
He said his decision had not been tough to reach because it had just involved adding up the columns.
On issues such as broadband, the two sides were not far apart.
‘‘There were issues like the national energy grid where the Rudd government was responsible for that and they will go down in the history books,’’ he said.
‘‘But the other side agreed with it so there was no distance between the two.’’
Mr Katter said that if the Coalition did form government he would not be accepting any positions such as a Ministry or the deputy speaker's position.
- with Paul Tatnell and AAP
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