Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has declared victory for the ruling conservatives more than a week after national elections despite an ongoing vote count, after the Labor opposition conceded defeat.
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Expressing her views on Turnbull’s narrow win, Environmental Scientist, Jules Wright, said, “it’s not exactly unexpected but I think he’s actually been given a bit of a shock that, you know, it wasn’t a landslide and this is not us saying “you can do what you want”.
“We can’t afford to let Australia drift for eight days after an election”. It’s something we should celebrate and not taken for granted.
“I respect that Mr Turnbull has won government – be it a minority government or a majority of one or two”, Mr Shorten said.
Turnbull has said budget savings would be “absolutely a very high priority” in the new parliament, but he may face problems in getting them legislated due to the make up of the upper house Senate.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten has offered to work with Mr. Turnbull to make Parliament work, according to broadcaster ABC News.
Labor, on course to win 69 seats, conceded defeat.
His coalition had 74 MPs at 0900 GMT – just two short of a majority – whilst the opposition All Labour Party had 66. “Everything we do is about the future”, Turnbull said.
“I can say that I’ll be speaking with colleagues about what we can do to seek to avoid the plebiscite”.
The election was an opportunity for Turnbull to get the clear backing of voters, nine months after he seized the Liberal leadership from Tony Abbott in a coup of ruling party lawmakers.
“It is vital that this parliament works; it is vital that we work together and, as far as we can, find ways upon which we can all agree”, Turnbull added.
Parties are required to hold at least 76 seats in the House to form a majority government.
In an email to Labor party supporters and volunteers, Shorten followed up his concession speech with a note of minor triumph, contrasting this year’s closely fought election with the rout suffered by Labor in 2013.
Shorten also used the opportunity to flag his support for electronic voting systems in Australia to deliver faster election results in the future. The agency said Australia needs “more forceful fiscal policy decisions” to rein in debt and believes such tough measures could be postponed by the new Parliament.
The leader, who was returned to the seat of Maribyrnong in Victoria, has hinted that he will bring in a private member’s bill to legalise same-sex marriage when parliament returns. “I hope for our nation’s sake the coalition does a good job; I hope they run a good government”.
It seems electronic voting in Australian elections is now a live option, with both Shorten and Turnbull discussing electronic voting over the weekend. “The most important people to thank are the Australian people because we have resolved this election and have done so peacefully”, Turnbull, 61, said.
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“I accept your advice that you are in a position to form a ministry that has the confidence of the House of Representatives”, Cosgrove said.
