Australia government wins majority after fierce election fight

Though more than a week after voting day, it remains unclear if Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal-National coalition has enough seats to form a majority government, chances remain high. It could take days or weeks to resolve the final tally. “It is a great day to thank the Australian people for the decisions they have taken in this election and to commit to them anew our absolutely unrelenting determination to ensure that this Parliament delivers good government, wise legislation and builds on the strengths of our economy”.

Mr Turnbull is expected to swear in his new cabinet next week with the Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, who is now in France for Bastille Day commemorations.

His comments came after opposition Labor Leader Bill Shorten conceded defeat and congratulated him. Badges with the slogan “I Miss Malcolm” were a common sight throughout the campaign – a nod to the fact that many people didn’t know what Turnbull, once a passionate advocate of Australia cutting its ties with the British monarchy, tackling climate change and allowing same-sex marriage, stood for.

FILE – In this July 1, 2016, file photo, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull smile while greeting people during a walk through of a shopping street in Burwood, Sydney.

He further said that he would write Turnbull to suggest adopting electronic voting system for the country in order to speed up “the results which should not hang in the balance for so long”.

Even with a majority, Mr Turnbull faces serious challenges over the coming weeks.

The election was an opportunity for Turnbull to get the clear backing of voters, nine months after he seized the Liberal leadership from Tony Abbott in a coup of ruling party lawmakers.

Then there’s the issue of the fragmented Senate.

Turnbull’s gamble in calling the election backfired, with a swing to the center-left Labor opposition and a rise in the popularity of minor parties and independents.

And senior minister Christopher Pyne says no matter how you look at it – primary vote, two-party preferred, number of seats – the coalition has beaten Labor. US-based credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s has already warned Australia that it risks losing its Triple A credit rating within two years if the next government failed to stick to its goal of balancing the Budget by 2021.

The need for Mr Turnbull to court the support of those outside his party saw him stress that he valued every parliamentarian’s contribution, even though he had warned Australians not to vote for minor parties and independents during the election campaign. In several seats, just a few hundred votes were separating the coalition from Labor.

Mr Turnbull said he had his one-year old granddaughter Isla on his hip when Mr Shorten rang to concede defeat eight days after Australians went to the polls.

Asked if Labor would push for a conscience vote, Shorten said: “Let’s see what we do when we get back to parliament”. “It shouldn’t be taking eight days to find out who has won”.