Vote counting is still underway from the July 2 ballot.
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Mr Shorten spoke with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today to congratulate him on the coalition win.
Turnbull’s ruling Liberal/National coalition is now expected to secure 74 seats, and potentially two more, in the 150-seat House of Representatives, according to national broadcaster ABC’s projections.
In addition to the Labor opposition, the re-elected Turnbull government will also have to deal with an assortment of independent and minor party MPs that were elected just over a week ago.
Mr Shorten pledged Labor would work with the coalition where there was common ground between the parties.
“It is vital that this parliament work”.
Although the agreement signed after Mr Turnbull rolled former prime minister Tony Abbott was never released publicly, it was widely reported to include support for a new “effects test” in competition law, the planned plebiscite on same-sex marriage, more support for stay-at-home mothers and the return of the water portfolio to the Nationals.
Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declares victory for the ruling conservatives at a press conference in Sydney on July 10, 2016. After years of political discord, with six prime ministers in eight years, the main parties’ share of the primary vote dropped to the lowest level since 1943.
Labor is now on 66 seats, with five still in doubt.
In Flynn, which stretches inland from the city of Gladstone, the LNP’s Ken O’Dowd trailed his Labor opponent for most of last week but is now ahead by 391 votes with 5,783 left to count.
This will be particularly challenging in the Senate, where the Government will have to either do deals with Labor to get legislation passed or win the votes of a bunch of small party senators. But the Coalition is now expected to get 77 seats and form a majority government.
“So, for those that want to cause maximum mayhem in the parliament we won’t be part of that”, said Xenophon. In the upper house, anti-immigration politician Pauline Hanson makes a stunning comeback after a near 20-year hiatus, likely alongside newcomer Derryn Hinch, a long-time journalist and broadcaster known as the “human headline”.
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Turnbull said he’s had constructive talks with some independents, at least two of whom have said they’ll support the coalition in no-confidence motions and in budget talks. He thanked the Australian people and said they had “vindicated our system of democracy”.
