THE Greens will take over the balance of power in the new Senate, after picking up seats in at least three states - including Victoria.

While seats in the lower house were swinging towards the Coalition, the upper house swung away from it. A hung parliament is likely in the house of representatives, and certain in the Senate.

The Coalition has lost at least two Senate seats, and possibly up to five. As expected, it lost one seat in Queensland to the Greens, and another in Tasmania to Labor.

The Coalition's Senate vote in Victoria collapsed, and preference flows could see the DLP candidate, Ballarat blacksmith John Madigan, take the final Senate seat even though he won only 2.2 per cent of the vote.