Mr Turnbull’s victory speech on Sunday afternoon came just hours after Opposition Leader Bill Shorten rang him to concede defeat.
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While the Coalition will hold a narrow majority, with 76 or 77 seats, in the 150-seat House of Representatives, a Senate grouping of Labor, the Greens and minor parties will be able to block legislation.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks at the government offices in Sydney, Sunday, July 10, 2016.
Although he is expected to form a majority government, Turnbull’s gamble in calling the election backfired badly, with a swing to the centre-left Labor opposition and a rise in the popularity of minor parties and independents.
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.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wrote to Sir Peter on Monday, saying it was his view “that the Coalition has won at least 74 seats”.
But the Australian leader has won the support of three independent MPs on budget matters and on votes of no confidence, paving the way for him to form a minority government if necessary. The Labor party was predicted to win 66 seats, a significant improvement over the 2013 result.
“The truth is it was a winning campaign we won the election, now whether we won the election by two seats or by 20 seats that campaign got us across the line”, he said.
After the upper chamber legislators dismissed two draft bills proposed by the government, incumbent Prime Minister Turnbull dissolved both chambers, thus making all 226 seats in parliament eligible for election.
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.
Asked whether he would block a plebiscite on same-sex marriage, which the Government has promised by the end of this year, Mr Shorten said “let’s see if we can’t have a conscience vote in the Parliament first off”. “I believe we have a mandate to do that”.
He said “where there is common ground”, Labor would work together with the coalition.
Turnbull echoed Shorten’s sentiments, declaring that electronic voting was “something we must look at”.
‘I am proud that Labor is back and that Labor is united. “It’s something we should celebrate and not take for granted”.
Mr Pyne said, however, the Coalition’s policy had not changed.
“I expect them to do nothing less than to keep their promises they made to the Australian people”.
“I wish Turnbull well in what the future holds”.
He also said it was time Australia considered ditching its pencil-and-paper ballots for a speedier electronic system. “I don’t envy Mr. Turnbull” because he needs to corral the various factions in his coalition.
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Counting continues across the country with five seats still too close to call.
