Western Sydney independent MP Dai Le has provided a major hint about who she will side with if the election results in a hung parliament.
An independent MP who may hold the balance of power after the next election has given a major hint about who she would side with in the event neither major party wins a majority.
Two major polls released on Sunday have suggested the most likely result of the federal election, which will be held on May 3, is a hung parliament, meaning Australia’s next prime minister would be decided by crossbench MPs.
One key independent whose vote could go either way is Dai Le, who is recontesting the previously safe Labor seat of Fowler after the party attempted to parachute in former premier and Senator Kristina Keneally.
Speaking to Sky News Australia on Sunday, Ms Le said she was “open to sitting down” with either major party to “negotiate for my community”.
But when asked about Labor and Coalition’s key policies, the Western Sydney MP made it clear which she thinks will be best for her electorate.
“For me, the Albanese Labor government’s offering of tax cuts is a bit too little too late. I know that for a community like Fowler in Western Sydney, 70 cents a day is probably better than nothing, but that is really little,” she said.
“As opposed to the (Coalition’s) fuel excise tax cut, which I actually asked for as soon as I got elected. That obviously has a bigger impact, because everybody drives out here in Western Sydney, and we use petrol.
“Pensioners drive, people who don’t work still drive. Young students drive. These are the people that actually… will not get the benefit of the tax cut.
While the Coalition has promised to halve the fuel excise for one year, Ms Le said the whole fuel excise system needed to be reviewed, given the money raised is no longer dedicated to funding roads.
“We need to review where the money from the fuel excise goes, because it used to go into a road recovery budget, but it’s no longer part of that,” she said.
The Western Sydney MP also indicated she may seek support for broader tax changes when negotiating in the event of a hung parliament, stating the tax free threshold ought to be doubled.
“There are so many things that we need to revise, such as the income tax threshold that’s at $18,200,” she said.
“That was based in 2012, we’re now in 2025, so the indexation of that hasn’t gone up. So I have called to double that to do something around the income tax threshold.”
When asked if she had decided who she would support to form government, Ms Le said there were “many factors” to consider.
“Let’s wait and see,” the Fowler MP said.
“My hope is that I will be able to negotiate for my community in Fowler and southwest Sydney. And whoever forms a minority government, I’m open to sitting down and looking at the list of what can be delivered for Fowler.”