SYDNEY (AP) Eight days after Australia’s general election ended in uncertainty, the prime minister finally claimed victory Sunday for his conservative coalition, bringing an end to the country’s political paralysis at least for the moment.
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The ABC projections said the coalition secured two additional seats in Queensland, where just hundreds of votes divided the two major parties, in an election in which populist minor parties and independents won more representation in parliament.
He also called on Mr Turnbull to use Labor’s plans for Budget reform, but signalled he was open to supporting the Government’s superannuation changes.
The comments come after Australian Marriage Equality claimed that as a result of the 2 July election there is now a “clear majority” of 81 votes in the lower house in favour of same-sex marriage.
In his letter to the governor-general, Mr Turnbull told Sir Peter he had the commitment of two independents, Bob Katter and Cathy McGowan, while Andrew Wilkie had indicated he would not support a vote against confidence or supply unless there was a case of illegality.
Thanking his voters, Shorten said “I want to reassure them, that despite Labor not winning enough seats this time, that the Labor party will stick true to its core values, its and promises and beliefs”.
Turnbull had dissolved both houses of the parliament in May and called for snap elections, confident that his ruling coalition would clinch an outright win.
But while there will be no change for now, Turnbull is in a weakened position after the poll, having lost his comfortable majority in the House of Representatives and the internal blame games are already taking place.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with wife Lucy after a press conference at which he declared victory in the close election.
The Prime Minister said his granddaughter Isla was on his lap when he took Mr Shorten’s concession call, and he was “deeply, deeply touched” by the moment.
“It is vital that this parliament work”, Turnbull said.
He said the ministers would be sworn in next week, and the first party room meeting would be held on Monday, 18 July.
‘It has been the longest election in 50 years and indeed it seems the last eight days have been very long, ‘ Mr Shorten said.
The silver-haired grandfather immediately pledged to provide economic leadership, while being a more consultative leader, restoring traditional cabinet government and ending policy-on-the-run.
Asked if Labor would push for a conscience vote, Shorten said: “Let’s see what we do when we get back to parliament”. An estimated nine crossbenchers – some of them from the far right – and about the same number of senators from the left-wing Australian Greens will have pivotal votes on legislation.
Moody’s said such a scenario would be “credit negative”, echoing S&P’s decision last week to cut Australia’s credit rating outlook to negative from stable, threatening a downgrade of its coveted triple A status.
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‘We need to ensure that Medicare, our education, our health services and all those vital government services are provided for and Australians feel secure, that they are provided for, ‘ he said.
