Election 2016: Coalition secures 73 seats, Antony Green says 76 and majority possible

Updated

ABC election analyst Antony Green has projected the Coalition will secure at least 73 seats, and says it is possible they could reach the magic number of 76 required to win majority government.

"I think they can get to 76," Mr Green told Radio National.

"Seventy-three is a definite, 74 is also likely, 75 is possible, 76 is less possible."

The painstaking task of counting votes and preferences in a number of key seats is continuing, but the nation remains in limbo over the final result.

Mr Green called Petrie and Grey for the Coalition last night and this morning said the Government had a very strong chance of picking up Chisholm, Dunkley and Gilmore.

Coalition scrutineers agree — they think they will get over the line in the latter three electorates.

Those three seats have not been officially called by the ABC's election calculator but the changes would put the Coalition on 73 seats, while Labor remains on 67 seats.

As the count continues, there is some doubt being cast over two Queensland seats that have been called in Labor's favour — Flynn and Longman.

Scrutineers are reporting strong preference flows to the Coalition in both seats, which may put them back in the Government's reach.

Latest counting in Forde saw the LNP's Bert van Manen ahead of Labor's Des Hardman for the first time by 94 votes.

Hindmarsh, Herbert, Forde, Cowan and Capricornia remain too close to make a firm call, but both sides are making predictions.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Antony Green updates on the latest from the vote count (ABC News)

Coalition scrutineers think they will be able to hold Forde. Labor expects to pick up Cowan in WA. Both sides agree Herbert, Capricornia and Hindmarsh are too close to call.

This morning, Malcolm Turnbull told the ABC he was feeling "very well" about the seat count. Yesterday the Prime Minister maintained he was confident in reaching majority government.

He also conceded there had been "fertile ground" for Labor's Medicare campaign to be sown but this morning, Treasurer Scott Morrison refused to say what changes would be made in the health portfolio, including whether the Coalition would end the freeze on GP rebates.

"It can't be a choice between your fiscal responsibilities and your health responsibilities. These two things have to work together," Mr Morrison said.

Ramsey not willing to claim Grey yet

The Nick Xenophon Team had hoped to pick up a second seat and knock off the sitting member Rowan Ramsey in the seat of Grey in South Australia.

However last night Mr Green predicted they had failed to meet that goal.

Liberal MP Rowan Ramsey has a projected preference count of 51.2 per cent in Grey, with NXT candidate Andrea Broadfoot on 48.8 per cent.

But Ms Broadfoot has refused to concede, saying the Port Pirie and Whyalla booths will not be counted until Friday and that numbers could still fluctuate.

"We've still got lots of the big booths to count and we're expecting the numbers on the virtual tally room to fluctuate as different booths are entered into the system," Ms Broadfoot said.

"We're quietly confident that we'll get it across the line and even if it's by one vote we'd be really happy to represent the people of Grey."

The outback electorate is usually considered a safe Liberal seat, and Mr Ramsey has held it since 2007.

But Mr Ramsey does not want to claim the seat just yet.

He has given this analysis of his opponent's campaign technique: "Nick paints himself of course as an anti-politician, he is, as you well know, probably the most consummate politician in Australia, he is the number one marketer, and draws an enormous amount of free publicity."

Winning the seat of Grey could have given NXT more power in a possible hung parliament.

Topics: federal-elections, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia, sa

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