Disgruntled Liberal MPs have been warned any attempt to undermine the authority of Malcolm Turnbull threatens the prime minister's chances of forming a new government.

Three days after an inconclusive election, the coalition remains in the box seat to win a slim majority or negotiate minority government with up to five crossbenchers.

But some conservative Liberals want coalition MPs to have a say in those negotiations, worried Mr Turnbull will sell them out to preserve his own position.

Attorney-General George Brandis has warned his colleagues that sniping at Mr Turnbull threatens to undermine the prime minister's ability to bargain with independents.

"Stability is always better than instability, discipline is always better than indiscipline, playing a team game is always better than self-indulgence," he told ABC radio today.

Fellow cabinet minister Simon Birmingham acknowledged there was disappointment at the election result.

"But we have held onto government, which it didn't look like we would do 12 months ago," he told ABC TV.

Political adviser and former chief of staff to Tony Abbott Peta Credlin unleashed a furious attack on Malcolm Turnbull last night claiming, among other things, he is the man who “broke the Liberal Party’s heart”.

In an on air discussion with Sky News, Ms Credlin took a swipe Mr Turnbull and the “hapless set of bedwetters” she believes were responsible for toppling her former boss Tony Abbott.

She also brushed off the suggestion that she had undermined Mr Turnbull’s campaign during the election.

A million or so postal votes might be all it takes to get the Coalition over the line.

But it could still take until the end of next week for Australians to know the definitive outcome of the election, which remains too close to call.

Are you surprised by how close the election is? Yes 16049 No 20999

The Reserve Bank is expected to show a steady hand through the political mayhem of a potentially hung parliament.

The central bank will hold its monthly board meeting today and is widely expected to keep the cash rate at a record low 1.75 percent for another month.

That's despite the uncertainty generated by Saturday's so-far-deadlocked federal election and the global financial market volatility triggered by Britain's decision last month to leave the European Union.

However, economists believe the cash rate could be cut to 1.5 percent at the August board meeting if official inflation figures later this month continue to prove benign.

Vote counting will resume this morning after Saturday's inconclusive outcome.

Global credit rating agencies have warned any deterioration in the budget position due to political gridlock could threaten Australia's treasured triple-A rating.

It's set to be a busy day today, with the weekly consumer confidence and May retail spending figures, which will take into account any impact of the May 3 federal budget, to be released.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to resign, blaming him for the prospect of three One Nation senators in the new parliament.

Mr Shorten described the Liberal leader as the "David Cameron of the southern hemisphere".

Mr Cameron, the UK Prime Minister, will step down in the coming months after his 'Remain' campaign was defeated in the Brexit referendum and the UK voted to leave the European Union.

"Mr Turnbull doesn't know what he's doing. Quite frankly, I think he should quit," Mr Shorten told reporters.

"He's taken this nation to an election on the basis of stability, he's delivered instability, his own party know he's not up to the job, the Australian people know he's out of touch, and he's given us Senate reform which involves two or three One Nation Senators.

"The bloke is not up to the job.

"Mr Turnbull tried to capitalise on the Brexit vote, and say, oh because of what happened in England you had to vote for him in Australia - he 'Brexited' himself".

Mr Turnbull has previously said he is "quietly confident" in a Coalition victory.

After a swag of pre-poll votes was added to the count on Sunday, the Coalition had 72 seats in the 150-seat lower house, Labor 67, Greens 1 and independents four.

Six seats remain in doubt: Labor leads in Chisholm, Forde, Herbert and Hindmarsh, while the coalition is ahead in Dunkley and Gilmore.

Coalition strategists believe postal and pre-poll votes will favour the government.

The most likely outcome is a minority coalition government - with 75 seats - that relies on one or two crossbenchers for support.

The Coalition, if it retains power, will also need to deal with 10 crossbenchers in the Senate.

Mr Turnbull promised the new parliament, which could sit in early August, would be resolved "without division or rancour".

"I remain quietly confident that a majority Coalition government will be returned at this election when the counting is completed," Mr Turnbull said.

Mr Turnbull said the deadlocked election result showed the Australian people appeared to want more from their leaders.

"The expectation is on all of us, especially me, the prime minister, to get on with the job," he said.

Independents Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie have confirmed the prime minister has rung them with congratulations on retaining their seats.

"The fact that he took the time this morning to have a short conversation with me this morning suggests he feels the need to have an open channel of communication," Mr Wilkie told reporters in Hobart.

Ms McGowan said she had a good working relationship with Mr Turnbull.

Who do you think will be Australia's prime minister after the votes are counted? Malcolm Turnbull 47211 Bill Shorten 30328

The prime minister had told her he was confident of forming a majority government.

"We have agreed to stay in contact over the next few days as the national situation becomes clearer," she said.

The Indi MP, who was returned with a bigger majority in her northern Victorian regional seat, wouldn't make deals with any party.

Similarly, Mr Wilkie said he wouldn't do any deals - formal or informal - but instead consider every move in parliament on its merit, including budget bills and confidence motions.

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In the Senate, a new cohort of crossbenchers are expected to take up seats, including Derryn Hinch, Pauline Hanson, and two of Nick Xenophon's running mates.

They'll likely join returned independents Mr Xenophon and Jacqui Lambie, with the Greens on track to take eight or nine seats, down one or two on their previous result.

Mr Xenophon said he would work closely with all crossbenchers.

Minor parties and independents were the big winners in the election, taking 23 percent of the vote.

The new Senate electoral system proved difficult for more than 530,000 voters, who cast informal ballots.

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