tony abbott had 73. first, a vote for tony abbott, giving both sides 74 seats. but then the but -- two for julia gillard. last week, the opposition leader tony abbott described himself as the head of the government in waiting. today, he was forced to concede. >> the coalition won more seats than our opponents, but sadly, we did not get the opportunity to form a government. >> there has not been a hung parliament here since the second world war. australians are used to strong and decisive government. this one looks altogether more for agile and raises the question -- how long will it last? nick bryant, bbc news, sydney. >> and six months after their election in iraq, still no government. gabriel gatehouse reports, iraqis do seem hard to every possible chance -- challenge. >> ouch. that looks painful. the twists and turns of iraq's six-month political stalemate are no less treacherous. outside the air-conditioned back rooms where the horse trading goes on, iraqis have other, more pressing concerns. and what better place to feel the culture of baghdad then this bar

neither julia gillard's ruling labor party nor tony avant's coalition had enough seats -- tony abbott's coalition have enough seats. yesterday it was neck and neck. julia gillard had 74 seats. tony had it had 73. it was left to independent mp's. first, of vote for tony abbott. but then when two votes -- but then two votes fort julia gillard. last week, opposition leader tony abbott described himself as the head of a government in waiting. today, he was forced to concede defeat. >> the coalition won more votes and more seats than our opponents, but sadly, we did not get the opportunity to form a government. >> there has not been a hung parliament here since the second world war. the australians are used to strong and decisive government. this one looks altogether more fragile. it raises the obvious question -- how long will it last? nick bryant, bbc news, sydney. >> some kind in to political uncertainty in australia. in iraq, six months after their election, some of government. gabriel gatehouse reports iraqis do seem hard and to every possible challenge. -- hard and do every possible ch

. -- tony abbott. i think members on the conservative side have said, we could still be in the game. these independents have been tight-lipped. they kept their cards close to their chest. what they have not done is given much indication of who they are going to support. one of the independent impis' comes from the capital in western australia. he has not even told his wife how he is going to decide, and it may be they are going to announce this on television live before they even tell julia gillard and tony abbott what their decision is. it has been a soap opera, and it should be gripping. >> what do you think the australian public will make of it? have they been getting bored with all the way things? >> i think there has been a definite mood shift where people are saying, get on with it and sort this out. we have entered the third week of negotiations. i think for a couple weeks it certainly had a novelty value. most people had never heard of them. they are colorful characters. one of them goes around

tony blair, or brown? >> i think they were a great partnership, but in the end, gordon brown. >> diane abbott? >> gordon brown. tony blair may have been more telegenic, but gordon brown was the better man. >> david milliband? >> because neither tony -- tony is not on the ballot paper, gordon is not on the ballot paper, tony foot is on the ballot paper. there is a new generation on the ballot paper, how we retry the battles of the past. >> i was 100% loyal to tony blair. i was 100% loyal to gordon brown because i am a loyal labor man through and through. but not everybody in the labor party or parliament can say they were 100% loyal to both. because of that, i can unite labor going forward. >> both of them because they were -- the question for labor is how do we move on, and do we have the courage to leave behind as the goods of the 1980's? that generation of politicians came of age in the 1980's. we have to be willing to move on from that generation, in the way we do our politics and policies. >> let's move on now to our next substantive question, from marie field, the labour counsellor. >> wha