Coalition 74-78 seats, Labor 67-71 seats

Seven electorates – Capricornia, Cowan, Flynn, Forde, Gilmore, Herbert and Hindmarsh will decide whether Malcolm Turnbull is able to form a majority government as postal and absentee votes continue to be counted in the Australian federal election.

By Thursday morning with 81.8 per cent of votes counted the Coalition was six seats ahead of Labor on 72 and 66 seats respectively. Seventy-six seats are required to form a majority government.

The remaining seven seats (four of which are in Queensland) are too close to call but postal votes being counted are likely to favour the Coalition. In most of these seats Labor and the Coalition are split by less than 1 per cent of the vote.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has begun discussions with crossbench independents in anticipation he may have to govern with their support in a minority Coalition government.

Swings and roundabouts for Greek Australian candidates

Latest update:

Julia Banks on track to take Chisholm
With 77 per cent of the votes counted in the Melbourne marginal seat of Chisholm, Julia Banks, the Liberal’s candidate is on the cusp of a famous victory with Chisholm looking likely to be one of the only seats in the country to go to the Coalition from Labor.

But Ms Banks isn’t counting her chickens just yet. Speaking exclusively to Neos Kosmos the former Greek Australian lawyer said: “Given there is still more counting of votes to go – I won’t be declaring victory at this stage, however we’re very happy with the result…

“It will be an absolute honour and privilege to serve the people of Chisholm if they elect me to be their representative in parliament under the leadership of our Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.”

Georganas neck and neck in Hindmarsh
With a 2 per cent swing to Labor and 83 per cent of the votes counted, former Labor MP Steve Georganas is banking on absentee votes to get him over the line against the Liberal’s Matt Williams.

Speaking to Neos Kosmos, Mr Georganas, who leads by just 151 votes said: “We’re still in front, and while the postal votes don’t usually favour us the absentee votes should counteract that, I’m in a good position.”

With the vote so tight, a final result may not be declared in Hindmarsh until next week and a recount is possible.

Adios Nic Varvaris
A 4 per cent swing against Liberal incumbent Nicolas Varvaris has ended his one term as Barton’s MP in south Sydney, with Linda Burney the first Indigenous female lower house MP winning for Labor.

No way back for Mirabella
Sophie Mirabella’s political career may have finally run its course, with independent MP Cathy McGowan strengthening her hold on the former Liberal frontbencher’s seat of Indi. Ms McGowan scored a 4.5 per cent swing against her, according to the 82 per cent of votes counted.

Team Xenophon set for Senate threesome
Nick Xenophon’s NXT party is now expected to pick up three seats on the Senate crossbench and in the Lower House, NXT’s Rebekha Sharkie has unseated former Liberal minister Jamie Briggs in the seat of Mayo.

Meanwhile talk of NXT holding the balance of power in the next government may be premature. Downplaying earlier expectations Senator Xenophon said yesterday: “There will hopefully be three senators from the Nick Xenophon Team, as well as Rebekha Sharkie in the seat of Mayo, and that’s a pretty good set of numbers for (me) to have a fairly powerful say (in parliament).”

Vamvakinou retains Calwell
Veteran Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou has easily retained her seat of Calwell with a 4.5 per cent swing. By Wednesday with 75 per cent of the vote counted Ms Vamvakinou held 69.1 per cent of the preference count compared to the Liberal’s John Hsu on 30.9 per cent.

Ms Vamvakinou told Neos Kosmos she was “thrilled to have been returned” adding that she looked forward to “a productive new term”.

“Labor performed strongly and we have shown that the Australian people will not tolerate attacks on their way of life or their standard of living”.