"Tonight is another signpost into the destination that matters for Australians - a Labor government after the next general election," Mr Shorten told supporters in Longman. The outcome sparked questions within the government about its strategy and performance, signalling renewed dangers for Mr Turnbull in a Coalition that is already divided on issues such as energy policy. A collapse in the Liberal National Party vote in Longman, where candidate Trevor Ruthenberg suffered a swing of almost 10 per cent against him, is fuelling anxiety over the government’s prospects at the next election. Labor leader Bill Shorten and the party's candidate for the seat of Longman Susan Lamb celebrate as they arrive at their election night function in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, on Saturday. Credit:AAP Mr Shorten named issues including Medicare, hospitals, school funding, aged care and apprenticeships as the key factors for almost 500,000 voters across the five electorates.

He also challenged the government to change its direction and its policies in light of the outcome. “People don’t want more of the same from Malcolm Turnbull,” the Opposition Leader told reporters. “They want a government that acts in the interests of people. “To be honest, that’s the message I get out of it, too. The people of Australia are sick of me and Turnbull being in a Punch and Judy show – he runs around complaining about me, we complain about the government. “They want better from us.”

The brutal swing against the Coalition in Longman puts some of the government’s Queensland MPs on notice to expect a backlash at the next election, which is due to be held by 18 May next year. Ministers said the impact of the result within Coalition ranks would depend in part on how much of the swing might be attributed to personal factors for Mr Ruthenberg, such as his mistaken claim to a military medal, and how much would be blamed on Mr Turnbull and government policy. Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne stood by the government's controversial company tax cuts in the aftermath of the campaign, which saw Labor candidates repeatedly contrast their support for hospitals and schools with government plans to cut taxes for banks and other big companies. "We will pass the tax cuts in the Spring session come hell or high water," Mr Pyne told Sky News, referring to the resumption of parliament from August 13. As expected, Labor held on to two Western Australian electorates, Perth and Fremantle, in a victory over the Greens given the Coalition did not field candidates.

The government lost ground in the South Australian electorate of Mayo, once held by former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer and contested by his daughter Georgina Downer at the byelection. Former Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie, who resigned from parliament over her citizenship, regained the seat with a swing in her favour. Centre Alliance candidate for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie, at the Mt Barker Wallis theatre in Adelaide on Saturday. Credit:AAP Voters in Braddon delivered an outcome that was barely changed from the last election, with Labor on track to win by 52 to 48 per cent on a two-party basis, returning former MP Justine Keay to parliament. In Longman, the swing to One Nation was lower than suggested by opinion polls but nonetheless showed the minor party had increased its primary vote from 9.4 per cent to approximately 15 per cent based on early results.

Labor sources said the flow of One Nation preferences did not go as strongly to the Coalition as they feared, helping former Labor MP Susan Lamb regain the seat. The president of the Liberal National Party, Gary Spence, admitted the result was “disappointing” and said it showed voters were “over” the citizenship issues that triggered four of the five byelections. Ministers privately acknowledged the danger to the government from a result that would crush the Coalition at an election if the result in Longman was mirrored in other Queensland seats. The swing in Queensland is likely to fuel a political row over preference swaps, as Labor and the Coalition confront a protest vote from Australians who backed Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. Labor took a hard line against One Nation during the campaign and was backed by union volunteers who challenged One Nation campaigners on the ground.