Australia In Political Turmoil After Uncertain Election Outcome

By Peter Fowler at 21 Aug 2010

Four independents and a Green MP appear to hold the balance of power in Australian politics after a general election appeared to deliver the nation's first hung parliament since World War II.

Australian public broadcaster ABC said its analysis tipped the Coalition to have 73 seats in the House of Representatives while Labor would have 72, with four independents and one Green MP.

Labor's caretaker prime minister Julia Gillard, said the result was too close to call and it will take a number of "anxious days" to determine the final outcome.

"The people have spoken, but it's going to take a little while to determine exactly what they've said," she said.

"Obviously it's too close to call. It will take a number of days. We know every vote is important. Every vote must be counted, and we will see that in the days ahead of us.

"[We] will continue to lead the government and provide stable government until the outcome of the election is clearly known," the ABC quoted her as saying.

"There are anxious days ahead ... but we will continue to fight to form a government in this country."

Coalition leader Tony Abbott said Ms Gillard had "lost all legitimacy" and his party "stands ready to govern."

"This is no time for premature triumphalism," he was reported as saying. "[Instead] there should be an appreciation that this has been a great night for the Australian people."

The election was a "referendum on the political execution of a prime minister" in part, Mr Abbott said, in reference to Ms Gillard rolling former prime minister Kevin Rudd two months ago.

"The Australian people have said that whatever else might characterise our political culture, it should never be characterised by the knock on the door at midnight from the faceless men of the Labor factions," he said.