In the balance: Prepare for political trauma of hung parliament

MALCOLM Turnbull has copped a huge rebuke from voters, and now Australia faces the prospect of another hung parliament.

AUSTRALIA again faces the political trauma of a hung parliament with Malcolm Turnbull struggling to hold onto a tiny lead after a crushing rebuff by voters.

One projection has the numbers in the House of Representatives potentially 75 to the Coalition, 70 Labor and five independents.

That would mean the Coalition had lost 15 seats and Labor had picked up 15, with five independents.

The Coalition, on those numbers, would have to negotiate support from five crossbench members to form government.

It could be weeks of counting, and results based on a handful of votes, before we know for sure.

Federal Labor supporters await a result on Saturday night. Picture: AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy

We could have a long wait ahead of us before a clear result. Picture: AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy

And Mr Turnbull’s best outcome might be the humiliation of not having the numbers to win the vote of a joint sitting of both houses needed to pass the blocked legislation used to justify the double dissolution election.

Whoever takes government will have to deal with aggressive, activist crossbench members in both houses adding to doubts legislation will have easy passage.

Labor was powered close to winning in its own right by a big voter turnaround in NSW and Tasmania, claims in Queensland, after a superior campaign by Bill Shorten.

But the ALP was robbed of government by a party failure in Victoria, which is being is linked to the state Labor government siding with a union in a fight with volunteer fire fighting groups.

The story elsewhere was starkly different.

Whatever happens, this is likely to be a blow to Malcolm Turnbull’s authority.

Labor won the tipping-point seat of Eden-Monaro early in the evening, a victory which started a slew of NSW conquests — Macarthur, Dobell, Barton, Macquarie, Lindsay and Patterson among them.

Bill Shorten had a surprise sweep of almost all five Tasmanian seats, leaving only the independent Andrew Wilkie sharing the island.

The Nationals fended off contests by independents Tony Windsor in New England — retained by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce — and Rob Oakeshott in Cowper. But the victories cost the party votes and resources.

Both the Liberals and Labor suffered as thousands of voters shunned the old parties and voted for independents and micro-parties.

Senate counting is days away from completion but it is possible Pauline Hanson will win a slot, possibly with another One Nation member, Malcolm Roberts.

“The Liberals and the Nationals have forgotten grassroots voters” Mrs Hanson told the Seven network as she celebrated winning her second election in 10 attempts.

She vowed on the night to combat “the climate change BS” alongside Mr Roberts, and would “bring some truth and honesty” to Parliament.

The House of Representatives will have its own substantial crossbench of at least five.

They will include independent incumbents Bob Katter, Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan, and the Greens Adam Bandt.

Nick Xenophon checks results on a tablet at the post-election party at the Palace Nova Cinema in Adelaide. Picture: AAP Image/Brenton Edward

The newcomer will be Rebekha Sharkie of the Nick Xenophon Team, who has taken the seat of Mayo from Liberal Jamie Briggs.