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ABC's Antony Green says Malcolm Turnbull will remain prime minister – politics live Andrew Wilkie says he will support supply and confidence in Coalition government– politics live
(35 minutes later)
1.26am BST
01:26
Turnbull is giving a press conference in Melbourne, where he has been asked if Christopher Pyne has jumped the gun by claiming victory already:
Christopher is a very confident colleague of mine and he’s entitled to express his naturally optimistic view that I’m the prime minister.
1.23am BST
01:23
Labor is holding its first caucus meeting since the election today. It’s expected Bill Shorten will be endorsed as ongoing leader of the party.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has told reporters Shorten has the party’s support:
Is Mr Shorten the man to lead the party for the next three years?
Yes.
Are you conceding?
Conceding the election?
Yes.
There’s still lot of tight seats. Obviously Malcolm Turnbull as the incumbent prime minister has the opportunity to form government and that’s the convention and the way it should be. That gives him the opportunity to form government. Whether majority or minority, I think he’s got difficult times ahead.
Don’t you think it will be seen as a concession by meeting to discuss Bill Shorten’s leadership?
No, quite the contrary. I think we’re showing the stability, the unity of purpose we’ve shown for the last three years and we intend for that to continue.
Updated
at 1.26am BST
1.17am BST
01:17
On the Today Show this morning, a positively gloating Christopher Pyne described the Liberal party as “an electorate winning machine”.
We’ve won again. That’s our sixth victory out of eight in the last 20 years. You’d say that we are an election-winning machine in the Liberal party. Labor has won one election out of the last eight. There has been one hung parliament.
Reaction from Labor's @tanya_plibersek to @cpyne's declaration the Coalition is an "election-winning machine" pic.twitter.com/z0oyumBh4r
1.10am BST
01:10
Another sporadic cut to Turnbull, where he is still in the cafe, now talking about women engineers.
It’s still very blokey. And that’s one of the big issues... not nearly enough women. It’s one of our election policies... supporting programs that encourages girls and young women to study science and engineering. Quantitative disciplines. It’s quite underdone.
Updated
at 1.12am BST
1.04am BST
01:04
More brief and riveting scenes from Turnbull’s electorate tour of Chisholm thanks to Sky News. Someone is presenting Turnbull with some baked goods at what looks to be a cafe in Oakleigh.
“So this is what kept the campaign going,” Turnbull says. Laughter.
Someone offers him coffee.
Updated
at 1.05am BST
12.59am BST
00:59
The ABC and Sky just broadcast some very brief live coverage of the prime minister doing a street walk in Oakleigh, 15 km south-east of Melbourne, where the Liberal’s Julia Banks will replace retiring Labor MP Anna Burke following a swing against Labor in the electorate of Chisholm.
Turnbull is told Oakleigh is “the epicentre of Greek culture in Melbourne”.
You’re OK with the Greek, prime minister?
Turnbull: “I can read a bit and speak a bit if I prepare, but I can read a bit of Greek. I studied Greek many years ago.”
Malcolm Turnbull greets new member for Chisholm Julia Banks in Oakleigh #ausvotes @abcnewsMelb @abcnews pic.twitter.com/kkIXp3gTbQ
Updated
at 1.03am BST
12.51am BST12.51am BST
00:5100:51
Here’s an update from the wires:Here’s an update from the wires:
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says he will support supply and confidence in the coalition government. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says he will support supply and confidence in the Coalition government.
Mr Wilkie, who has been re-elected to his Tasmanian seat of Denison, said in a statement on Friday there was “no conceivable way” Labor would govern and the final result would be a minority or majority coalition government.Mr Wilkie, who has been re-elected to his Tasmanian seat of Denison, said in a statement on Friday there was “no conceivable way” Labor would govern and the final result would be a minority or majority coalition government.
“I will continue to vote on parliamentary business on its merits, and consequently not support a vote against budget supply or confidence in the government unless clearly warranted, for example in a case of malfeasance,” Mr Wilkie said.“I will continue to vote on parliamentary business on its merits, and consequently not support a vote against budget supply or confidence in the government unless clearly warranted, for example in a case of malfeasance,” Mr Wilkie said.
However, the statement from Wilkie also says he remains “steadfast” that he won’t be doing any deals with government.However, the statement from Wilkie also says he remains “steadfast” that he won’t be doing any deals with government.
Andrew Wilkie says "no conceivable way" Shorten will be PM; re-commits to no deals but also not being "destructive" pic.twitter.com/u2k5XASufZAndrew Wilkie says "no conceivable way" Shorten will be PM; re-commits to no deals but also not being "destructive" pic.twitter.com/u2k5XASufZ
Updated
at 1.02am BST
12.44am BST12.44am BST
00:4400:44
Meanwhile, an update from those hardworking folks at the Australian Electoral Commission.Meanwhile, an update from those hardworking folks at the Australian Electoral Commission.
An update on what's happening today and moving forward is available at https://t.co/1McL1EwHak #ausvotes #auspol pic.twitter.com/Cczkhf388qAn update on what's happening today and moving forward is available at https://t.co/1McL1EwHak #ausvotes #auspol pic.twitter.com/Cczkhf388q
12.43am BST12.43am BST
00:4300:43
Good morning, Melissa Davey with you from Melbourne, where Turnbull is meeting with independent MP Cathy McGowan, who retained the electorate of Indi. I’m sure there will be details from that meeting later on, but what McGowan has consistently said is that she won’t be doing any deals with the new government. So it will be interesting to see what kind of commitment, if any, he gets from her.Good morning, Melissa Davey with you from Melbourne, where Turnbull is meeting with independent MP Cathy McGowan, who retained the electorate of Indi. I’m sure there will be details from that meeting later on, but what McGowan has consistently said is that she won’t be doing any deals with the new government. So it will be interesting to see what kind of commitment, if any, he gets from her.
Turnbull taking conciliatory approach to crossbench, says Coalition has a lot in common with McGowan, Katter + knows Xenophon well #ausvotesTurnbull taking conciliatory approach to crossbench, says Coalition has a lot in common with McGowan, Katter + knows Xenophon well #ausvotes
12.37am BST12.37am BST
00:3700:37
I am stepping away from the blog machine for about half an hour and will hand over to my fine colleague Melissa Davey. I’ll be back before you can say “woebetiding”.I am stepping away from the blog machine for about half an hour and will hand over to my fine colleague Melissa Davey. I’ll be back before you can say “woebetiding”.
Woebetidings is the word of the day, thanks Paul Keating. All the latest #politicslive with @bkjabour https://t.co/0mO6V9C8YLWoebetidings is the word of the day, thanks Paul Keating. All the latest #politicslive with @bkjabour https://t.co/0mO6V9C8YL
UpdatedUpdated
at 12.38am BSTat 12.38am BST
12.29am BST
00:29
There are EIGHT VOTES separating the two parties in the national 2PP count right now. pic.twitter.com/Mw0ogzYBZI
12.16am BST
00:16
Nick Xenophon has been on ABC radio this morning talking “fibs” and the Labor party’s Medicare campaign.
Xenophon is of the view political advertising should be answerable to stricter standards and singled out the Labor’s ads about Medicare and a claim he was planning to introduce a bill on penalty rates.
He has called their campaign “shocking”.
Essentially if a corporation or an individual can be taken to task under consumer laws ... for telling fibs, so should politicians.
Updated
at 12.27am BST
11.59pm BST
23:59
Indeed.
Today we are all election winning machines.
11.51pm BST
23:51
After flying to Queensland yesterday to meet Bob Katter, Malcolm Turnbull will see Indi independent Cathy McGowan today in Melbourne.
McGowan has already said she will not enter a formal deal with either party in the event of a hung parliament but will judge each piece of legislation as it comes. That does not mean she would not participate in a confidence vote though.
Updated
at 11.52pm BST
11.28pm BST
23:28
Antony Green: Malcolm Turnbull will remain PM
ABC psephologist Antony Green has echoed Christopher Pyne, he is not quite as emphatic though.
Malcolm Turnbull will continue as prime minister, that’s not in question at all.
Green says the Coalition is ahead in most of the key marginals and it is possible they could get as many as 77 seats, although a hung parliament is still a distinct possibility.
Asked specifically if he agrees with Pyne, Green says:
Malcolm Turnbull is the prime minister, will continue as prime minister so in that sense they’ve won, it’s just a question of whether they will have a majority or not.
It also looks as if One Nation will have three Senate seats. Pauline Hanson has won in Queensland and Greens says One Nation is “well placed” for a seat in both Western Australia and New South Wales.
It would be remarkable for them not to win in either of those states.
11.22pm BST
23:22
Back to the Chilcot report, this from the former secretary of the defence department:
No Mr Howard, hindsight is not needed. Some of us knew at the time, said so, and were called "doddering daiquiri diplomats" for our pains.
Peter Slipper has also given his two cents, with a core question:
Should Parliament have to consent before we go to war or should the decision effectively be one for the PM of the day? #auspol
Updated
at 12.11am BST
11.14pm BST
23:14
As the Labor caucus prepares to meet to spill the leadership – a kind of formality post-election – the most likely challenger, Anthony Albanese, has been doing multiple media appearances to assure there will be only one candidate: Bill Shorten.
Bill Shorten will continue to be in charge of making the calls on behalf of the local caucus.
Albo said on Radio National he “certainly is not conceding defeat” in the federal election, but if Labor was in opposition in a hung parliament it would not be as obstructive as Tony Abbott.
We’ve always been constructive, we will continue to be constructive about issues that matter, we will continue to hold the government to account.
We’re entitled to pursue the agenda that we put forward to the Australian people at the election.
But, a shot across the bow:
We’re not prepared to just adopt the Coalition position given that they don’t really have a mandate.
Updated
at 12.12am BST
11.06pm BST
23:06
Tanya Plibersek has tipped her hat to Christopher Pyne – sort of.
You can’t fault Christopher for front, he’s certainly got that in spades.
Her comments were in response to Pyne saying the Liberal Party is an election winning machine.
However, Plibersek conceded it’s not that Pyne is completely wrong in declaring victory.
We’ve got to let the AEC complete its work but if I were a betting person, it is more likely that the Turnbull government – as a very unstable, minority government – will be returned.
Which is terrible, we’re very disappointed but considering how close we came this is a pretty great result.
11.02pm BST
23:02
An update on the numbers from the AEC:
After almost a week of counting in the Australian election, just 485 votes separates the 2 major parties #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/AoZCq1ti4y
Updated
at 11.55pm BST
10.40pm BST
22:40
Good morning
As we accept our new reality of a parliament suspended in time by constant election campaigning and endless seat counting, some people are giving us a peek into their reality – Christopher Pyne has been out and about to tell us what a wonderful campaign the Coalition has run and declaring victory.
We have won again. That’s our sixth victory out of eight in the last 20 years. You have to say that we are an election-winning machine in the Liberal party,” he told Channel Nine.
Pyne seems slightly out of step with his colleagues who have been complaining about how unfair (and effective) Labor’s campaigning was on Medicare.
Mathias Cormann was asked if the Liberal party was indeed the fabulous campaigning organisation Pyne says it is.
On Sky News:
My good friend Christopher is the eternal optimist.
We also have another 1990s throwback – hello Pauline! – as Paul Keating emerged to give John Howard a kick in the shins.
After the Chilcot Inquiry found all options were not exhausted before going to war with Iraq, Howard held a press conference to defend his legacy to which Keating has responded by telling him to “hang his head in shame”.
Could you imagine the woebetidings of Howard and the Liberal Party, had it been [Bob] Hawke or I who had committed Australia to such an un-mandated assault on another country?” Keating said in a statement.
“We would never have heard the end of it. The Liberals would have been wringing their hands for decades.
“The incompetent management of Iraq following the invasion, fractured that country and with it, Syria and the region around it, casting millions adrift from their lives and homes. A sea of refugees. Yet Howard has no shame of it. And no responsibility.
Howard has visited on Australia the whole spectre of terrorism, through his craven and ill-judged support of the United States and its invasion.”
The Labor party will be meeting to spill the leadership as the rules dictate – Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek both say Bill Shorten will be the only candidate.
Updated
at 12.11am BST