Election 2016: Coalition edges closer to victory

Updated

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has edged closer to forming Government after two more crossbenchers pledged their support on confidence and supply.

Key points: Three crossbenchers have now pledged support for the Coalition

ABC's election computer has Coalition at 73 seats, Labor 66 and six seats in doubt

Shorten concedes Coalition likely to "scrape" over the line

Victorian independent Cathy McGowan and Tasmanian Andrew Wilkie made the commitments, giving the Coalition 76 votes it needs to govern in minority.

The pair joins north Queensland MP Bob Katter in committing themselves to supporting the Coalition on the vital votes.

"The country wants stable and settled Government to enable everybody to get on with their lives and business," Ms McGowan said

"I will continue to work with the Government of the day to achieve what is needed for my electorate and the nation, and I will consider each piece of legislation on its merits, vote according to my conscience, my electorate, and the needs of the nation."

Vote counting continues and the Government could secure a slim majority, allowing it to govern in its own right.

The ABC's election computer has the Government on 73 seats, Labor 66 and six other seats are in doubt.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Antony Green says Coalition likely to win between 75 and 77 seats (ABC News)

ABC election analyst Antony Green said he could "pretty accurately predict" the Coalition would be returned to government with between 75 and 77 seats in the Lower House.

"If you look at the seats that remain in doubt, it explains the story," Green said.

"There are six seats in doubt. The Coalition definitely has 73. They need to win three of these seats."

Green said the Coalition was currently ahead in Forde, but Capricornia, Herbert and Flynn were the seats to watch.

The Coalition is expected to overtake Labor in postal votes, Green said.

Coalition is an 'election-winning machine': Pyne

But Coalition frontbencher Christopher Pyne earlier on Friday declared the Coalition had won, describing the Liberal Party as an "election-winning machine".

"We've won again," he told Channel Nine.

"That's our sixth victory out of eight in the last 20 years.

"You'd have to say that we are an election-winning machine in the Liberal Party."

Mr Turnbull was more cautious, waiting for the final seats to be determined before proclaiming a result.

"Christopher is a very confident colleague of mine and he is entitled to express his naturally optimistic and confident view," he said.

"But for us, for the Liberal Party, we're taking those lessons to heart very seriously and we respect the votes that have been cast, and one way that we show that respect is by waiting for the counting to be completed, or completed to the point where the decision is claimed."

Shorten concedes Coalition win 'likely'

Bill Shorten is set to remain Opposition Leader for another term of Parliament after he was the only nominee for the position at a Caucus meeting in Canberra on Friday.

"The best thing about this caucus meeting is that we now need more chairs," he told the party's MPs and senators.

But Mr Shorten conceded a Coalition win was likely.

"It is likely in the coming days that the Liberals will scrape over the line," he said.

"But the combination of a prime minister with no authority, a government with no direction and a Liberal Party at war with itself will see Australians back at the polls within the year."

Topics: federal-elections, federal-government, federal-parliament, turnbull-malcolm, political-parties, australia

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