Post-election there is still no certainty which party will govern the country for the next three years.
As of current counting, the Coalition has claimed 65 seats, Labor is on 67, while the Greens, the Nick Xenophon Team and Bob Katter Party have picked up a seat each.
With 13 seats still in doubt, the Coalition need to pick up nine or more to form a majority government and to avoid a hung parliament.
Malcolm Turnbull said over the weekend he has “every confidence” the Coalition will form a majority government, despite a nationwide 3.4 per cent swing and 11 seat loss against the government.
With less than 80 per cent of the vote counted so far and no more counting to be done today, it is expected to be some days before an outcome is known.
Tasmania swings to Labor
Tasmania’s Liberal state government faces increasing pressure after a resounding swing against the federal coalition.
Saturday’s poll wiped out the island’s lower house Liberal representation, with the loss of three northern seats and there may be a flow-on effect when Tasmanians head to the polls in 2018.
Re-elected federal Labor MP Julie Collins said Premier Will Hodgman aligned himself closely to the national campaign and should take some responsibility for the result, which brought a swing of almost nine per cent against the coalition.
Ms Collins says that voter displeasure with state issues could have contributed to Saturday’s result.
Mr Hodgman hasn’t made a formal comment on the federal election result but posted a brief comment on his Facebook page, saying they “will continue working hard to keep Tasmania heading in the right direction.”
One Nation Makes a Return
After an 18 year absence, the One Nation Party has picked up at least one senate seat in QLD and attracted more than 300,000 votes nationwide.
Co-chair of the National Congress for Australia’s First Peoples, Jackie Huggins, told ABC radio a balance of power held by the One Nation Party could make it “very difficult” to have Indigenous issues heard and passed.
‘Kingmaker’ Xenophon Team Emerges in South Australia
South Australian independent Senator Nick Xenophon is fielding calls from his political friends and foes as negotiations get into full swing ahead of a result in the federal election.
The senator’s phone was running hot on Sunday and he’s likely to be in demand this week as counting continues, especially if a hung parliament looms.
It’s expected his Nick Xenophon Group will win up to three Senate seats in South Australia to add to the one lower house seat it has already picked up.
It is also still in the running for a second lower house seat in SA.
Senator Xenophon says he hopes to work with his crossbench colleagues in the Senate, whoever they are.
Senator Xenophon has also taken calls from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and is likely to talk with them further as the election result becomes clearer.
AAP
