A dramatic swing in Queensland has changed the election landscape significantly. It’s a result that seemed unthinkable just a few hours ago.
Welcome to 9News Nigeria’s live update, rolling coverage of the federal election results.
After an exhausting five-week campaign, Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten are finally learning the Australian people’s verdict. Follow this story for live updates throughout the evening as we learn who will run the country for the next three years.
LIVE UPDATE
Shock result looms as election turned on its head
Shannon Molloy
Sam Clench
The mood in the Liberal campaign has shifted dramatically over the past hour.
A Coalition source tells news.com.au that the swings to the Coalition in Queensland have changed the landscape significantly.
There’s now a growing confidence that Scott Morrison’s government can hold on. It’s a result that seemed unthinkable just a few hours ago when polls closed on the east coast.
ABC political commentator Barrie Cassidy says a Liberal minority government is now a real possibility.
Unless pre-poll votes swing it back Labor’s way, Cassidy believes the Opposition will struggle to reach the number of seats required to form government.
“More likely (a) Coalition minority or even at a pinch, majority,” he said.
Here’s a quick runthrough of the key seats we’ve called recently.
Corangamite has fallen to Labor. Liberal Sarah Henderson was dealing with the smallest margin in the country.
The Liberals have taken Lindsay, the seat held by Labor’s Emma Husar.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has seen off the challenge of Julian Burnside in Kooyong.
Liberal Fiona Martin has retained the hotly contested seat Reid.
The Liberal National Party’s Michelle Landry has retained Capricornia in Queensland.
Ms Landry in particular is performing really strongly, with a current projected swing of 12 per cent towards the LNP.
That’s not the kind of outcome anyone was expected. Not least Ms Landry.
“We have worked extremely hard and obviously Adani and coal has played a big part in that and Labor are really hemorrhaging votes to One Nation,” Ms Landry said.12m agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
Liberals take back Turnbull’s seat
Sam Clench
The Wentworth by-election result has been reversed, with Liberal Dave Sharma reclaiming the old seat of Malcolm Turnbull from the woman who defeated him in October, Dr Kerryn Phelps.
Results are starting to flow in from the west as well.
Labor’s Anny Aly has held on in the West Australian seat of Cowan while Patrick Gorman has also retained the seat of Perth.
The Liberal Party was won Swan, with Steve Irons being re-elected.
And Attorney-General Christian Porter has won his tough race in Pearce. Fellow minister Ken Wyatt has held on in Hasluck.
Labor has gained Chisolm in Victoria. That’s the seat former Liberal Julia Banks held, before deciding to contest Flinders instead. Health Minister Greg Hunt defeated her there.
The Nationals have held Cowper, fending off Rob Oakeshott.
And Liberal MP Lucy Wicks has retained Robertson.
Follow all the seat-by-seat results live here.
Sam Clench
Our election experts say there will be no clear government tonight, and Labor is extremely unlikely to win. On the current numbers, it certainly will not be able to form a majority.
Early figures from Western Australia, whose seats are now crucial, are showing a swing towards the government.
Labor scrutineers tell news.com.au older voters have punished the party for its higher-taxing agenda. States where the economy is not thriving – such as Queensland, WA and country areas – have backed the Liberals’ agenda focused on the economy and jobs.
“A bold agenda is now dead forever in Australia,” a Labor scrutineer says.
Channel 10’s political editor Peter van Onselen agrees has made a similar assessment.
He says there is a “95 per cent” certainty the Coalition will win the election with either a minority or majority government.
“The only way I can’t see a Coalition victory in this election is if they get minority status and then the kind of individuals who are holding safe Liberal seats do what Oakeshott and Windsor did in 2010,” van Onselen said.
“I don’t see that happening with the nature of what they’ve said pre-the election.”
In 2010, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor decided to support a Labor minority government even though their seats were traditionally quite conservative.
“I’m not sure I can’t find enough seats for the Labor Party to be close enough to cobble together the kind of minority government that is feasible,” van Onselen said.
“They’re going to be significantly below the Coalition.
“There’s every chance that the Coalition actually gets to a majority. I’m not predicting that. But there’s very few pathways to victory for Labor now.”26m agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
Labor cannot form majority government
Sam Clench
Our election experts say there will be no clear government tonight, and Labor is extremely unlikely to win. On the current numbers, it certainly will not be able to form a majority.
Early figures from Western Australia, whose seats are now crucial, are showing a swing towards the government.
Labor scrutineers tell news.com.au older voters have punished the party for its higher-taxing agenda. States where the economy is not thriving – such as Queensland, WA and country areas – have backed the Liberals’ agenda focused on the economy and jobs.
“A bold agenda is now dead forever in Australia,” a Labor scrutineer says.
Channel 10’s political editor Peter van Onselen agrees has made a similar assessment.
He says there is a “95 per cent” certainty the Coalition will win the election with either a minority or majority government.
“The only way I can’t see a Coalition victory in this election is if they get minority status and then the kind of individuals who are holding safe Liberal seats do what Oakeshott and Windsor did in 2010,” van Onselen said.
“I don’t see that happening with the nature of what they’ve said pre-the election.”
In 2010, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor decided to support a Labor minority government even though their seats were traditionally quite conservative.
“I’m not sure I can’t find enough seats for the Labor Party to be close enough to cobble together the kind of minority government that is feasible,” van Onselen said.
“They’re going to be significantly below the Coalition.
“There’s every chance that the Coalition actually gets to a majority. I’m not predicting that. But there’s very few pathways to victory for Labor now.”33m agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
Jubilant Zali Steggall claims victory
Shannon Molloy
Zali Steggall has addressed her supporters after toppling political veteran Tony Abbott in Warringah.
The former Olympian and barrister turned independent candidate struggled to be heard over the crowd chanting her name, opening her speech by simply saying “what a day”.
“Tonight, Warringah has definitely voted for the future,” Ms Steggall said.
“And you all showed that when communities want change, they make it happen.
“This is a win for moderates with a heart.”
She paid tribute to Mr Abbott for his long service to the electorate, saying that “nobody can doubt his community spirit, his work ethic and his contribution to this community”.
Ms Steggall spoke of her commitment to action on climate change, pledging to be a leader on the issue when she gets to Canberra.
“Warringah, we have a new beginning for our environment. I will keep the new government to account.”
Her momentous victory is also an opportunity for a “new beginning in Australian politics”, Ms Steggall said.1h agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
‘It’s bad everywhere’: Labor despairs
Shannon Molloy
The swing against Labor in Queensland is devastating.
ABC election analyst Antony Green expected the Opposition to do well in the state’s southeast and perform poorly in the regions.
“In fact, it seems it’s bad everywhere in Queensland at this stage,” Green says.
The Australian columnist Troy Bramston says Labor figures are “stunned and shocked” at the result currently unfolding, which pretty much nobody expected.
“It looks like a diabolical night for the party,” Bramston said.
ABC political editor Andrew Probyn says Labor sources are telling him their chances have been “killed” by the Coalition’s preference deals with Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.1h agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
Lambie on track for political revival
Shannon Molloy
One of the last parliament’s more colourful characters, Jacqui Lambie, is on track for a return to politics.
Ms Lambie, who was elected as a member of Clive Palmer’s old party but became an independent, was forced to quit the Senate last year in the midst of the Section 44 dual citizenship saga.
The count is in its early stages, with just 7.6 per cent sorted, but the Australian Electoral Commission projects a likely win for her.
1h agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
Excited mood at Liberal function
Sam Clench
Our reporter Alexis Carey is on the ground at the Liberal Party’s election night function.
The mood is excited and defiant, with supporters cautiously optimistic and daring to dream of a win.
As Tony Abbott’s concession speech went to air, one lone woman wearing a “Team Tony” shirt could be heard clapping and shouting “we love you” at the screen.
But as Mr Abbott’s speech touched on a possible Coalition win, the room erupted.1h agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
Tony Abbott’s optimistic concession speech
Shannon Molloy
Tony Abbott has delivered a concession speech in his Sydney seat of Warringah after his devastating defeat to independent Zali Steggall.
“We’ve got good news and yes, we’ve got a little bit of bad news,” Mr Abbott told supporters.
“The good news is that there’s every chance the Liberal-National Coalition has won this election.”
He admitted it was a disappointing result for him, but that “what matters is what’s best for the country”.
Mr Abbott said the party could be “more confident than we ever had any right to expect” that the Coalition will continue to govern”.
The result of the Wentworth by-election last year gave Mr Abbott an indication that his race was going to be a tough one.
“I always knew it was going to be tough here in Warringah. I can’t say it doesn’t hurt to lose… but so be it. I’d rather be a loser than a quitter.”
He congratulated Ms Steggall on a “magnificent win”, which drew boos from his supporters.
1h agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
Barnaby Joyce emerges victorious
Shannon Molloy
Former Nationals leader and deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has comfortably won another term in his seat of New England.
“It’s not me who won my seat, it’s my team who won me the seat,” Mr Joyce said. “The killer canaries did it again.”
That’s a reference to the bright yellow t-shirts his campaign volunteers wear.
Preferences from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party have helped Mr Joyce, helping to increase the swing towards him.
Mr Joyce took a swipe at the Opposition for their poor showing, particularly in regional areas like his.
“(Labor) have abandoned Barcaldine and the Tree of Knowledge, they’ve wandered down and got themselves a kaftan and incense sticks, hanging around in the middle of Sydney,” he said.
1h agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
Controversial candidate survives
Shannon Molloy
Controversial candidate George Christensen has won his north Queensland seat of Dawson, despite a string of damaging stories during the campaign.
Questions were asked about Mr Christensen billing taxpayers for flights he took to take connecting international trips to the Philippines, where his fiancé lives.
The enormous amount of time he’s spent there, away from his electorate and parliamentary business, also generated plenty of headlines.
But there’s been a swing of about 10 per cent towards Mr Christensen and the Liberal-National Party in Dawson.1h agoMay 18, 2019HIGHLIGHT
Egg Boy pops up at Labor function
Shannon Molloy
Charis Chang
Egg Boy is at Labor’s election night function in Melbourne, for some reason.
Will Connolly is the 17-year-old who smashed an egg on the back of Senator Fraser Anning’s head the day after the Christchurch massacre.
Senator Anning put out a media released just after 51 people were shot to death in two mosques, blaming Muslim immigration for the terror attacks.
Mr Connolly was incensed and took himself to Senator Anning’s media conference, filming himself as he cracked the egg on his head.
He was struck twice by the right-wing politician and then tackled to the ground by a group of his supporters.
It’s not clear why the teenager is at the function but our reporter Charis Chang says he’s being accompanied by a minder who’s not allowing him to speak to journalists.
News.com.au tried to speak with the 17-year-old but was told he was not doing any media.
Mr Connolly, who looks to have cleaned up his look with a new haircut, is from the affluent Melbourne suburb of Hampton, in the city’s southeast but has made his way to Labor’s party, in the northwest.
He was accompanied by another couple and another woman who is functioning as his minder.
It’s unclear why he is at the party but seeing as he’s underage and can’t drink, hopefully his interest in politics extends beyond wanting to pelt the nation’s politicians.
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