The breakthrough has come after the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Opposition Leader Tony Abbott reached an agreement on changes to the caretaker provisions of government.

Ms Gillard said she had sought advice from the secretary of the office of Prime Minister and Cabinet on the appropriateness of agreeing to a request by the independents - Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter - for detailed briefings on financial costings.

This was a key demand of the three rural independents, whose support Labor and the Coalition will almost certainly require to forma minority government.

The Coalition has been holding out all week on the request from the independents, saying that they would not be told what to do - and wanted a police investigation into a campaign leak to be concluded before they would consider the request.

Ms Gillard said the public service advice suggested ammendments were required to the caretaker provisions, which required the agreement of the Coalition.

She had written to Mr Abbott, and after extending several deadlines for a response, Ms Gillard said Mr Abbott had "generally agreed" that they get the material on budget costings under certain conditions.

‘‘I am pleased to report that Mr Abbott has generally agreed that the independents should be able to get the material that they seek,’’ Ms Gillard said.

‘‘I welcome Mr Abbott’s general agreement to that.’’

Ms Gillard said Mr Abbott required assusrances that any costings, assumptions or background information that was given by the Opposition to Treasury or the Department of Finance be withheld from the government.

‘‘And of course, I’ve agreed to that,’’ she said.

Ms Gillard said Mr Abbott had also sought full costing of Labor’s $43 billion national broadband network and the minerals resource rent tax even though that information was contained in the pre-election fiscal outlook.

But if Mr Abbott wanted more detailed briefings from Treasury or Finance, it would be made available.

Mr Abbott had also raised concerns about where information might go arising from this process.

‘‘I have indicated to Mr Abbott that it is my view that the independents should be able to participate in these briefings,’’ she said.

‘‘What they say publicly about the information obtained is then a matter for them.’’

- with AAP