Vote counting was still underway from the July 2 ballot, but opposition leader Bill Shorten said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s ruling conservative coalition would eventually secure enough seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives to retain power. “That’s what we’ve done, we’ve won the election”, he said, in case there was any doubt. “It’s something we should celebrate and not take for granted”.
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Earlier, Shorten said although counting was still underway, it was clear that Turnbull would form the next either a minority or majority government.
“So I have spoken to Mr Turnbull early this afternoon to congratulate him and Lucy and to wish them my very best”.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten is taunting Mr Turnbull at every opportunity and predicting a return to the polls within a year.
Turnbull cited the fact that the Coalition had received 800,000 more first preference votes than Labor, led in two-party preferred terms and had won more seats, despite the results not having been finalised.
Turnbull’s ruling Liberal/National coalition is now projected to secure 74 seats, and potentially two more, in the 150-seat House of Representatives, enough to give him the mandate to form a minority government.
With the majority of voting now finished in the rare double dissolution election, the Labor Party has conceded the LNC will be the biggest party and form the next government.
Victory in two Queensland seats means the coalition will not have to rely on lower house crossbench MPs to govern, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
The nation has been politically paralyzed since the July 2 ballot failed to produce a clear victor, and electoral officials are still combing through postal votes to determine the final tally.
“Yes, this is something we must look at”, he said.
“It’s vital that this parliament works”.
Fresh impetus to make budget repairs has come in the form of a warning by Standard and Poor’s to place Australia’s coveted AAA-rating on negative watch from stable. However, small parties run by the far-right politician Pauline Hanson and centrist Nick Xenophon are on track to win several positions, making them a force in Australia’s next parliament. The elections were held last Saturday.
“We’re a grown-up democracy, it shouldn’t take eight days to find out who’s won”, said Shorten.
Mr Turnbull also said it was “vital” that the parliament works together.
“I don’t believe that superannuation was quite the make-or-break issue that some people seek to make it”, Sinodinos said.
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While startup and innovation-focused policies were a key facet of Turnbull’s rise to power a year ago, they quickly disappeared from the Coalition’s campaign, and startup investor and advisor Nicole Williamson says it’s important for the startup community to make sure this stays a national interest.
