While Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s overall approval increased 2 per cent over the same period to 39 per cent, his disapproval increased by the same margin to 41 per cent, leaving his net approval rating unchanged at -2.
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Turnbull’s Liberal-Nationals are expected to win 76 seats, the minimum for a majority, while the opposition Labor party is predicted to win 69, the ABC said.
Either way, the election has raised questions about Turnbull’s leadership, and left him without a strong mandate for much-needed economic and fiscal reforms.
While Mr Turnbull now has the support of colourful character Bob Katter and independents Cathy McGowan and Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie in the lower house, that still leaves one Greens MP and a new entrant from Nick Xenophon Team Rebekha Sharkie.
Labor has secured 66 seats.
“This is a great day today”, Turnbull told a press conference in Sydney. His party has lost a significant number of seats – it began the campaign with 90 – and is smarting from what was supposed to be a comfortable win on July 2.
Counting of votes in the marathon election continues, but Bill Shorten, the leader of the Labor Party, said the ruling coalition government led by Turnbull would gain enough seats to hold on to power.
Shorten said he had spoken to Turnbull and offered his congratulations.
Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull is strongly supported by the tech community.
“I think Mr Turnbull needs to pick up one of the lessons from this election. the more you stick to your own conscience and what you believe, the better this country will run”. That is one area in which he and Turnbull are aligned; the prime minister has long advocated for a move to electronic voting.
Malcolm Turnbull spoke of a convincing win for the Coalition on July 10 although his tune was a little different last week.
The prime minister can’t afford to put a foot wrong now.
The coalition has so far gained 42 percent of public support, election results with 79.6 percent of votes counted suggest while Labor Party has gained just 35 percent.
The two seats the coalition hopes to pick up are among five in the balance, with the electoral commission still completing the painstaking task of counting postal votes and others cast outside people’s normal electorates.
More than a week after the Federal Election fewer than 500 votes separates the major party contestants in five line-ball seats.
While final Senate results may not be known until August, anti-immigration politician Pauline Hanson is likely to hold at least three seats.
Conflicting agendas and strong personalities could make it hard for Mr Turnbull to pass legislation through the Senate.
During the election, Labor committed to over $40 billion in budget cuts over four years and endorsed stripping $57 billion from health care funding to the states over the next decade.
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Turnbull welcomed Shorten’s promise to seek to reach common ground.
