Seasoned Australian analysts have predicted that the Labour “might get closer” to the magical figure of 76 seats in the 150-member House of Representatives.
Separately, Labour's National Secretary Karl Bitar said the party could “potentially” win 75 seats “if all the cards fall the right way.”
On a parallel track, Opposition leader Tony Abbott, claiming a lead over the Labour in the primary vote count, began scouting for support from the Independents and the Greens. For the first time, the Greens now secured a seat in the House of Representatives.
While the newly elected Greens Representative Adam Bandt expressed his personal preference for a new “Gillard government,” his party leader Bob Brown, a Senator, left the political options open.
The official results released by the Australian Electoral Commission by nightfall Sunday showed Ms. Gillard's ruling Labour winning 70 seats. The Opposition Liberal-National coalition's tally was 71. The Greens and a territorial party won a seat each, while two Independents were declared successful. The results for five other seats were placed in the “doubtful” category.
The updated overall results were based on the counting of 78.13 per cent of the total primary votes and 74.90 per cent of the two-party-preferred ballot across the country.
