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| 2019 Australia election: Liberal-National coalition secures majority | 2019 Australia election: Liberal-National coalition secures majority |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has secured a majority government, capping off a shock result in Saturday's election. | Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has secured a majority government, capping off a shock result in Saturday's election. |
| With about 80% of votes counted, the Liberal-National coalition has now reached the 76 seats needed to control the lower house. | |
| The result has defied long-term polls that had predicted a Labor Party win for the first time in six years. | The result has defied long-term polls that had predicted a Labor Party win for the first time in six years. |
| Labor leader Bill Shorten has said he is standing down. | Labor leader Bill Shorten has said he is standing down. |
| He told members on Saturday night: "We've argued for the future and our time will come. Count upon that." | He told members on Saturday night: "We've argued for the future and our time will come. Count upon that." |
| There are still four seats yet to be declared. | There are still four seats yet to be declared. |
| The Liberal Party is leading in two of those seats - Bass in Tasmania and Macquarie in New South Wales - while Labor has a narrow lead in Cowan, West Australia, and in Lilley in Brisbane. | The Liberal Party is leading in two of those seats - Bass in Tasmania and Macquarie in New South Wales - while Labor has a narrow lead in Cowan, West Australia, and in Lilley in Brisbane. |
| The result represents a comfortable increase from the coalition's standing prior to the election, where it had fallen into minority government, relying on the support of independents. | The result represents a comfortable increase from the coalition's standing prior to the election, where it had fallen into minority government, relying on the support of independents. |
| On Tuesday, the seat of Chisholm in Victoria was declared for Liberal candidate Gladys Liu, taking the government over the 76-seat threshold. | On Tuesday, the seat of Chisholm in Victoria was declared for Liberal candidate Gladys Liu, taking the government over the 76-seat threshold. |
| Ms Liu is the first Chinese-Australian ever to be elected to the lower house. | Ms Liu is the first Chinese-Australian ever to be elected to the lower house. |
| Why was this outcome such a surprise? | Why was this outcome such a surprise? |
| For more than a year, consecutive opinion polls had shown Labor ahead of the government. | For more than a year, consecutive opinion polls had shown Labor ahead of the government. |
| The view was that the government's image had been damaged by successive leadership challenges and the chaotic ousting of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last year, as well as a string of parliamentary scandals. | The view was that the government's image had been damaged by successive leadership challenges and the chaotic ousting of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last year, as well as a string of parliamentary scandals. |
| Mr Morrison, who had only been leader for nine months, went into Saturday's vote as the underdog. | Mr Morrison, who had only been leader for nine months, went into Saturday's vote as the underdog. |
| He campaigned primarily on economic issues, often doing so alone and painting the election as a choice between himself and Mr Shorten. | He campaigned primarily on economic issues, often doing so alone and painting the election as a choice between himself and Mr Shorten. |
| Labor campaigned on a promise to "stop the chaos" and introduce major changes to climate and economic policy. | Labor campaigned on a promise to "stop the chaos" and introduce major changes to climate and economic policy. |
| But ultimately that failed to appeal to voters and the conservative coalition romped home, collecting seats from Labor with a national 0.5% swing towards it. | But ultimately that failed to appeal to voters and the conservative coalition romped home, collecting seats from Labor with a national 0.5% swing towards it. |
| "I've always believed in miracles," Mr Morrison told supporters in his victory speech on Saturday. | "I've always believed in miracles," Mr Morrison told supporters in his victory speech on Saturday. |
| What were the biggest upsets? | What were the biggest upsets? |
| Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott lost his safe seat to an independent candidate, Zali Steggall, ending his 25-year hold on the wealthy Sydney electorate. | Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott lost his safe seat to an independent candidate, Zali Steggall, ending his 25-year hold on the wealthy Sydney electorate. |
| However, that was the only real loss for the coalition and it was Labor who suffered the biggest upsets. | However, that was the only real loss for the coalition and it was Labor who suffered the biggest upsets. |
| The conservatives unexpectedly swept the state of Queensland, where a dozen marginal seats for the House of Representatives were being closely watched. | The conservatives unexpectedly swept the state of Queensland, where a dozen marginal seats for the House of Representatives were being closely watched. |
| This gutted Labor's vote, reducing the party to just five or six seats of the 30 in the state. | This gutted Labor's vote, reducing the party to just five or six seats of the 30 in the state. |
| The Senate is still key | The Senate is still key |
| Hywel Griffith, BBC News, Canberra | Hywel Griffith, BBC News, Canberra |
| After limping through the last few months as a minority government, suffering embarrassing defeats and failing to get legislation through, suddenly the coalition has been born again. | After limping through the last few months as a minority government, suffering embarrassing defeats and failing to get legislation through, suddenly the coalition has been born again. |
| These numbers may not look huge, but they will make a big difference to how Scott Morrison can approach parliament. | These numbers may not look huge, but they will make a big difference to how Scott Morrison can approach parliament. |
| Having a majority means he won't have to garner the favour of cross-benchers nor offer concessions to his opponents. | Having a majority means he won't have to garner the favour of cross-benchers nor offer concessions to his opponents. |
| In theory, there should be far less fire-fighting and far more stable government. | In theory, there should be far less fire-fighting and far more stable government. |
| Of course, in practice the two-tier system means legislation still needs to get through the Senate where the coalition isn't on course for a majority. | Of course, in practice the two-tier system means legislation still needs to get through the Senate where the coalition isn't on course for a majority. |
| And remember, if Australian politics has taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected - just when it looks like we're in calm waters often another storm can blow in. | And remember, if Australian politics has taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected - just when it looks like we're in calm waters often another storm can blow in. |
| What will Scott Morrison's government look like? | What will Scott Morrison's government look like? |
| Mr Morrison has not yet revealed his cabinet. However it will feature many new faces because several Liberal frontbenchers resigned before the election. | Mr Morrison has not yet revealed his cabinet. However it will feature many new faces because several Liberal frontbenchers resigned before the election. |
| The prime minister had promised to pass tax cuts immediately, but he now forecasts delays due to post-election red tape. | The prime minister had promised to pass tax cuts immediately, but he now forecasts delays due to post-election red tape. |
| He has articulated some other priorities - including an upgrade to a coal plant, and extra funding for non-government schools. However a broader agenda is yet to be defined. | He has articulated some other priorities - including an upgrade to a coal plant, and extra funding for non-government schools. However a broader agenda is yet to be defined. |
| What will happen to Labor? | What will happen to Labor? |
| Much of the post-election analysis has focused on the decline in the party's traditional blue-collar base, and whether its package of reforms was too ambitious. | Much of the post-election analysis has focused on the decline in the party's traditional blue-collar base, and whether its package of reforms was too ambitious. |
| Having now lost two consecutive elections, Mr Shorten has stepped aside as the party seeks to remodel itself under a new leader. | Having now lost two consecutive elections, Mr Shorten has stepped aside as the party seeks to remodel itself under a new leader. |
| Anthony Albanese, who vied for the leadership in 2013 against Mr Shorten, says he will run for the role. Frontbencher Jim Chalmers is also considering a run, but other contenders Chris Bowen and Joel Fitzgibbon withdrew from the race on Wednesday. | |
| Party deputy Tanya Plibersek, who was another favourite, said on Monday she would not join the contest because of family reasons. |