Malcolm Turnbull insists he won’t be declaring victory in the election until the counting result is “plain” after Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne declared they had won.
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A senior government minister claimed victory on Friday in Australia’s knife-edge election, and a second independent lawmaker offered his support to the ruling party if it falls short of a majority.
“You’d say that we are an election-winning machine”.
The official count had the Coalition on 74 seats to Labor’s 71 and ABC election analyst Antony Green said on Friday the government was set to win 77 seats.
Minor parties and independents have emerged in an even more powerful position, making it less likely Turnbull will be able to push his reformist economic agenda, which includes a A$50 billion ($37.6 billion) corporate tax break over 10 years, through an intransigent upper house.
The term “modern economics” is a reference to Liberal Party leader Turnbull’s rhetoric about “the modern, dynamic, 21st-century economy Australia needs”, which Economou said would have alienated the average person, who relies on government support for education and health.
Even if the coalition wins a narrow majority in the lower house, Turnbull would then have to shepherd legislation through an even more intransigent Senate.
Mr Shorten didn’t concede defeat but said Mr Turnbull would face many problems should he scrape back into office, not least being “white hot anger” within Liberal ranks.
“While maintaining my complete independence, I am prepared to contribute to the stability of the 45th Parliament by continuing with my past practice of supporting the government of the day”, McGowan said.
“I expect them to do nothing less than to keep their promises they made to the Australian people”, he said.
Treasurer Scott Morrison on Wednesday said he remained confident the Coalition would pick up the 76 seats required to form government.
It is also expected to have the support of four independents.
“I am very confident, very confident indeed that we will form… a majority government in our own right, but I am, of course, talking to the crossbenchers as well”, Turnbull told reporters in Katter’s home state of Queensland, referring to the independent and minor party lawmakers who could hold the balance of power in a divided parliament. Labor was ahead in five of those six, but its lead was diminishing as more postal votes – which traditionally come from older, more conservative voters – arrived to count centres.
Shorten said he accepted Turnbull had a mandate to pursue the policies he took to the election.
The Coalition is also counting on support from Queensland independent Bob Katter, who met Mr Turnbull yesterday to discuss the terms.
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Mr Turnbull’s defenders have insisted the coalition fared much better than it would have under Mr Abbott, a divisive and unpopular figure.
