Nationals MP resigns over shoving incident

New South Wales Nationals MP Andrew Fraser has resigned from the Opposition frontbench after shoving a colleague in a late night session of Parliament.

The Member for Coffs Harbour was involved in a heated conversation with Labor MP John Aquilina last night when a colleague, Katrina Hodgkinson, placed a hand on his shoulder and attempted to pull him away.

Mr Fraser explained his version of events to Parliament this morning.

"I brushed my colleague's arm aside inappropriately," he said.

"As a result, I've apologised to my colleague and I apologised to the [Lower] House. I've offered my resignation as shadow minister to the Leader of the Opposition, Barry O'Farrell."

Mr O'Farrell says he has accepted Mr Fraser's resignation in line with his determination to raise standards in public life.

The Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly is investigating the incident that was captured by house cameras.

Previous offender

Mr Fraser was suspended from Parliament for eight weeks in 2005 for trying to throttle Labor MP Joe Tripodi.

He later apologised and blamed his actions on his frustration with the Government's lack of action in preventing deaths on the Pacific Highway.

The premier at the time, Morris Iemma, labelled him a "disgrace to democracy".

Mr Fraser eventually regained the position of Nationals deputy leader, but was dumped in favour of Adrian Piccoli six weeks ago in the wake of the party's loss in the Port Macquarie by-election.

He has now resigned as Opposition spokesman on Primary Industries, Road Safety and Rural Affairs.

Barnett to be sworn in as 29th Premier

Colin Barnett will be sworn in as the 29th Premier of Western Australia.

The Premier-elect Colin Barnett will meet the Nationals Leader Brendon Grylls this morning to work out how the parties will share power in Western Australia's parliament.

Mr Barnett had been offering the National Party up to five Cabinet positions if it formed a coalition government, but with the party vowing to remain independent it could be given between one and three ministerial positions.

Mr Grylls says he wants to be the Minister for Regional Development with control over the royalties for regions policy.

Mr Barnett will be sworn in as the state's 29th Premier this week and says he would like to see Parliament resume in a few weeks.

"We're here and how we got here is, I guess, a good story of politics, but what did we campaign on? We had policies, we had good candidates and from day one," he said.

"I said I only wanted to lead the Liberal and National Parties to victory and that is what we have done.

Mr Barnett says he's not concerned the Nationals have vowed to remain an independent party.

"The ability of Nationals ministers to disagree with the Government will be according to an agreed protocol," he said.

"This is a significant result for politics across the country.

"We had a situation of wall-to-wall Labor governments. I don't believe that was good for Australian democracy."

New Labor leader

The Labor Party will elect a new Opposition Leader at a caucus meeting tomorrow morning, following the resignation of Alan Carpenter.

The Member for Bassendean Martin Whitely wants the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Alannah MacTiernan to lead the Labor Party.

"The public respond very well to her," he said.

"She is prepared, she has the character, she has the work ethic and she's ready to take it up to the Libs from day one."

It's understood the other contenders for the job are understood to be Eric Ripper and Mark McGowan.

One senior Labor Minister has told the ABC that the Member for Victoria Park, Ben Wyatt, who has been touted as a future leader, is not ready for the role.

Jim McGinty says he will not contest the leadership.

Nationals give Liberals WA election win

Grylls has pledged support to the Liberals.

The Western Australian Nationals have handed the Liberals victory in the State Election.

The Nationals leader, Brendon Grylls, has emerged from a State Council meeting at a hotel in Perth to announce the party would use its balance of power in the Lower House to support their traditional allies, the Liberals.

Both the Liberal Leader, Colin Barnett, and Labor's Alan Carpenter have been courting the Nationals since last weekend's state poll delivered a hung Parliament.

Mr Grylls demanded that 25 per cent of mining royalties be set aside for regional projects.

Both parties agreed to the deal and to other requests, raising concern about the impact on WA's credit rating, and a range of projects planned for the state.

However, the party has voted to side with the Liberals, delivering the party government and Mr Barnett the Premiership.

Meanwhile the distribution of preferences is continuing in a number of seats.

Carbon sink tax bill 'seriously flawed'

There were extraordinary scenes in the Senate last night as the Greens combined with the Nationals and the Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan to attack part of a tax bill.

It was originally drafted by the previous Coalition government and has been reintroduced by Labor.

It gives a full tax deduction for the cost of planting forests as carbon sinks.

But Senator Heffernan, the Nationals and the Greens argued passionately in the Senate last night that it is flawed.

Senator Heffernan says the bill does not stop the trees being cut down or allowed to die within a year.

"There is absolutely no way in this legislation that you can prevent me from planting these trees and the year after I collect the tax deduction - me ploughing them in," he said.

"It is a national disgrace if we allow this Parliament to pass this legislation in the full knowledge that it is completely and fundamentally flawed."

Greens Senator Bob Brown agrees the bill is seriously flawed.

Nationals Senator Barnaby Jocye has called it a load of rubbish.

"Its very rare - to be honest - I would agree with the Greens but tonight's going to be one of those nights," Senator Joyce said.

But Government Senator Stephen Conroy says the bill was initially brought in by the previous Government.

"To be muttering up the back about what an evil plot this is - its your bill," he said.

The senators do not deny that they are negotiating on ways to to fix the problems they have complained about.

The Coalition is understood to be discussing technical aspects of how to do that.