As the seat count drags on, the three rural independents - Tony Windsor, Bob Katter and Rob Oakeshott - are maximising their moment in the spotlight.

Their policy wish lists range from the probable (parliamentary reform) to the plausible (a more generous broadband deal from Abbott; a more sensible climate outcome from Gillard) to the ambitious (a ''unity'' government, where partisanship is suspended in favour of yoga mats and hemp pants; and Katter's apparent desire to stop imports).

That's the stated agenda. Unstated, but important, will be reward for their constituents. Sure these guys are serious people with serious public policy aspirations, but they also want to get re-elected. No modest trinkets? Only indirect influence? Sorry, get real.

Both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott have little choice but to go along for this ride.

The people have spoken, and the bottom line is they couldn't decide. Having failed to comprehensively win over the voters, now the Labor and Liberal leaders must woo an ornery bunch whose stock in trade is bagging conventional politics and politicians.

The basic metrics of the election contest are required in order to establish a meaningful baseline for the coming discussions. Labor is currently just ahead on the seat count, but will it last? Who got the most votes or the most seats will form a coherent framework for the decision. But it is not the only factor.

The independents come from different parts of the country with different levels of tolerance on the part of their constituents for the idea of them saddling up with a Labor government.

The geographical areas that Katter and Oakeshott represent, with their mixed populations, are arguably more amenable to the idea of backing in Gillard than Windsor's loyal conservative-leaning constituents in Tamworth at least (the university town of Armidale is a different story).