Yahoo Finance The Coalition wins the 2019 Federal Election
The Liberal-National Coalition is set to retain power for a third consecutive term, with Labor no longer able to win government with the count as at 9:30pm Saturday AEST.
With 66.5 per cent of votes counted at 11:28pm, the Coalition was projected by the ABC to win 74 seats, which is just two short of majority. Labor had a projected 65 seats.
“It is obvious Labor will not form the next government,” said Labor’s Bill Shorten at 11:37pm, while adding he would step down as leader.
Liberal leader Scott Morrison said in his victory speech at midnight that he had “always believed in miracles”.
“And tonight we've been delivered another one... I said I was going to burn for you, and I will!”
The Greens have retained the one seat they already held, while among the independents the notable winner was former Olympian Zali Steggall, who dethroned former prime minister Tony Abbott from Warringah.
It still remains unclear whether Morrison would need to form a minority government or if it would eventually win enough seats to rule outright.
“If pre-polls favour Labor, then the government is going to fall short of a majority. If the pre-polls are exactly the same as the results we're getting tonight, then I think the government will win 76 seats,” ABC psephologist Antony Green said.
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