It’s the evening of the morning after.
While the result of last night’s election isn’t any closer to being known, it’s still been a huge day as the nation came to terms with what is in store for the 45th Parliament of Australia.
If you’ve been out enjoying your Sunday instead of being glued to the news, let us bring you up to speed.
We could be waiting a month for final results
That’s according to Australian Electoral Commission head Phil Diak.
He said:
Bill Shorten urged everyone to be patient
The Opposition Leader said he had spoken to some crossbenchers, but urged patience while the AEC finished counting the votes.
In a relaxed press conference (he wasn’t wearing a tie), Mr Shorten had this observation on last night’s results:
- Andrew Wilkie said he would not enter into any agreement with any party that would allow them to form government
- Cathy McGowan made a similar pledge
- Bob Katter said he was already working on a list of demands to put to the major parties
There was talk about party leadership
Plenty of Coalition MPs were asked if the result of the election would have been different under former prime minister Tony Abbott.
Mr Abbott was tracked down by reporters outside his Sydney home and had this to say:
The Prime Minister refused to answer questions about Mr Abbott, instead he said he was focusing on “monitoring the count”.
The Opposition Leader was repeatedly pressed by journalists on whether he would face a challenge fromAnthony Albanese.
He said Labor was united.
You’re up to date!
But you don’t want to miss this video from the ABC’s Huw Parkinson:
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This post originally appeared on ABC News.
Top Comments
I need an explanation of two party preferred. I don't feel it has evolved with the parties or voters in contemporary times. It's not the 1960s anymore.
I worked at a polling place, as I have done for several years now. Something I don't understand, is that when it came to the house of reps votes, we count two party preferred on Lib/Nat vs Labor. Even though Lib/Nats & Greens were the two leading parties on the basis of who the electorate voters chose as number 1 on their ballot papers.
It seems to me that we should have looked at house of reps votes two party preferred for Lib/Nats vs the Greens. Because it was clearly between them; that's who voters wanted. The Greens are nowadays a major party in my seat.
I think you misunderstand the count. Preferences are preferences. If the Greens did not figure in the preference count, there would be no Green MPs.
It might look like Coalition vs Labor but that's only because that's who the preferences favour in most electorates, so that's naturally who ends up at the top of the pile.