Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has conceded electoral defeat, as the Coalition edges towards a wafer-thin majority in federal parliament.
The ABC’s election computer says the Coalition has now won 74 seats and Labor 66, while five remain undecided.
Mr Shorten said although counting was still underway, it was clear Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would form either a minority or majority government.
“I have spoken to Mr Turnbull and congratulated him,” Mr Shorten said.
Mr Shorten said Labor was willing to work to find “common ground” with the Government, saying Australians deserve “nothing less”.
“I understand we need to make this parliament function and we’ll be up for that,” he said.
“I hope for the nation’s sake that the Coalition does a good job.”
Mr Shorten had previously indicated he would not concede until the Coalition officially won 76 seats.
More than a week after the election, the official result is still hanging in the balance, but the ABC is predicting the Coalition will form a minority or majority government.
Frontbenchers Arthur Sinodinos and Barnaby Joyce this morning said they remained confident of securing enough seats to govern in their own right.
The Coalition is optimistic about its prospects in the key Queensland seats of Flynn and Capricornia, while Labor has been increasingly confident of picking up Cowan, in Western Australia, and Hindmarsh in Adelaide’s western suburbs.
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This post originally appeared on ABC News.
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As long as Abbott and his admirers don't cause trouble
Ha ha. They are already showing how duplicitous they are.
On one hand they demand changes to the government's superannuation policy, claiming it was electorally unpopular, but on the other hand say the election win gives the government a mandate to proceed with attacks on Medicare and welfare and give billions in tax cuts to big business.
They are so precious.
More misery. Hundreds of millions to be taken out of the aged care sector and Centrelink. Plenty of superannuation tax rorts for the rich, along with superb capital gains tax and negative gearing. Meanwhile we will tell our children homes use to be for families to raise their kids and have a stable life. Nowadays they are the God given right for people to make more money.
Most of us work really hard, pay taxes to support those in need, help build our infrastructure and fund our hospitals and schools. Not for a moment do we begrudge that - it is what makes Australia one of the most equal and fair countries in the world. However, what I do resent is people like you who have this fanciful belief that somehow we have our snouts in the trough and we are benefitting from "rorts" which the government hands us on a platter. In the main we are ordinary hardworking families who make sacrifices in order to provide for our future so that we aren't a drain on the government coffers in our old age, leaving enough for those in our society who have a real call for it.