#AusDecides2016: Federal election LIVE BLOG

Keep up with all the Federal election action as Australia votes and the results come in during the night on IA's regularly updated LIVE BLOG.

News and comments will be added by managing editor Dave Donovan and contributing editor-at-large Tess Lawrence. Each comment will be initialled DD or TL to identify the guilty party. Newer updates will be at the top, older at the bottom.

You can contribute your thoughts and news to this page as well via the Twitter stream at the bottom of the page, by using the hashtag #AusDecides or by adding your comments after the article.

IA LIVE BLOG

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1.30pm: As I envisaged in my editorial earlier this week, the will of the people has confounded the experts. Frustrated the establishment. Disappointed the elites. This is a matter for rejoicing. The worry though, that if this worrying trend of independence continues, moves may be made to take our say away. It has happened before. But I am sure it could not happen here. Well done Australia. Goodnight.

1.00am: There is another hour of vote counting to go, but the ALP have now just narrowly pulled in front of the LNP in the total national two party preferential count.

The ALP have now pulled in front of the LNP in 2PP votes. #AusDecides2016 pic.twitter.com/eih4CvwPzl
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

12.25am: Turnbull has finally starting giving his something or other speech.

Turnbull says that according to "Party officials" he has every expectation of forming a "Coalition majority Government".
?!#AusDecides2016
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

A petulant Turnbull has used the first significant part of his speech to denigrate Labor.
He's all class.#AusDecides2016
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

11.59pm: The day is over, people are tired and squirming and Malcolm Turnbull still hasn't given his speech. Maybe waiting for Antony Green to declare an unexpected majority?

Come on Malcolm. It's getting late. We know you've got nothing prepared. Hey, maybe just lightly edit your speech from 1999? #AusDecides2016
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

11.30pm: Bill Shorten gives an excellent speech, which was well received by everyone. Almost.

Uhlmann nips in quick to put a downer on Shorten's speech. "I remember how happy Tony was in 2010 when he thought he'd won" #AusDecides2016
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

11.25pm Brendan O' Connor gives a rousing introduction to Bill Shorten. Pretty sure Bill won't be conceding defeat by the tenor of the crowd. (DD)

Hopefully Bill will put to rest during this speech all that ABC leadership speculation. #AusDecides2016
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

11.20pm: NO VOTER DERRYN HINCH CLINCHES SENATE SEAT (TL)

11.15pm: SOPHIE MIRABELLA, ABANDONED BY HER OWN TRIBE, AGAIN LOSES TO INDY CATHY MCGOWAN IN INDI WHO INCREASES HER SWING.

Election 2016: Sophie Mirabella fails to reclaim Indi from Cathy McGowan - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)Liberal Sophie Mirabella has failed to reclaim the regional Victorian seat of Indi from independent Cathy McGowan.

Ms McGowan has claimed victory in the seat for the second time, after winning the spot from Ms Mirabella at the 2013 election.

She thanked those who worked on her campaign.

"We have done something absolutely amazing," she said.

"We brought a community together. We worked together."

With more than 80 per cent of the vote counted, Ms McGowan had seen a swing in her favour of 3.3 per cent.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-02/sophie-mirabella-fails-in-fight-to-win-indi-from-mcgowan/7564190

(TL)

11pm: ROGER WILCO, WILKIE RETAINS DENISON.

Thanks Andrew Wilkie for telling the truth about the Iraq invasion — and how it was built on a lie. (TL)

10.30pm: BARNABY'S JOYCE STICK WINS THE DAY IN NEW ENGLAND.

TONY'S IN A WINDSOR NOT.

Election 2016: Who are the winners and losers? - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (TL)

9.30pm: BURNEY WINS BARTON!

Linda Burney poised to become the first indigenous woman in the Federal House of Representives!

Yes, it's wonderful. But how come it has taken this long for such a landmark breakthrough? (TL)

9.15pm: Currently a 2.9% swing to the ALP. The repercussions are already being felt in the Liberal Party.

The blame has already begun: Senator Cory Bernardi tweets at the Coalition's chief strategist #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/QMSWs8nXuk
— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) July 2, 2016

9.10pm: ALL THAT GLISTERS IS NOT GOLDSTEIN

Too early to call that Tim Wilson has won Goldstein ?
Maybe.But calling it anyway. (TL)

9.00pm: Wyatt Roy of Ashbygate fame. Gawn.

Wyatt Roy appears to be gone in Longman: #AusDecides2016 pic.twitter.com/aDbeQudXaz
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

8.45pm: MENZIES.A DOSE OF ANDREWS LIVER SALTS ? NO WAY! JUST THE OPPOSITE.

Along with levitating nuns, Pastor Danny Nalliah's raising of the dead and suchlike are sweet electoral mysteries, such as the re-election of Kevin Andrews to the seat of Menzies.

Forgive them Father, for they know not wot they do. (TL)

8.30pm: This election is looking more like Don's Party all the time. It's going to be a late night!

In this razor edge election, dogged Leigh Sales still asks Tanya Plibersek whether Bill Shorten will retain his job. #AusDecides2016
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

8.15pm: ABBOTT HANGING ON BY THE FORESKIN OF HIS SPEEDOS THE WAR FOR WARRINGAH At this stage, it looks like in Warringah, Abbott is hanging in there, but not too well hung mind you.

There's a swing/dressing towards the ALP. (TL)

8.00pm: GOVT WHIP MIGHT GET A WHIPPING!

The Liberals appear to be in dire Bass straits in Tassie.

Lyons, Braddon, Bass could fall to Labor.

If so, ta ta to Andrew Nikolic. (TL)

7.50pm: THE DARK NIGHT FOR BATMAN'S DAVID FEENEY ?

Is it too early to say that Greens Batwoman Alex Bhathal will wrest the
seat from Labor ?

Maybe not. (TL)

7.30pm: Very interesting news from Higgins, with Alex Bhatal ahead.

Very interesting to see David Feeney in trouble and Alex Bhatal ahead in Batman: #AusDecides2016 pic.twitter.com/z4v9HPav4u
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

7.20pm: SPORT

Bolt withdraws from Olympic trials after hamstring scare.

* Had no idea Andrew was competing. (TL)

7.15pm: LAWRENCE EXPLAINS APPARENT WALKABOUT/AWOL

So sorry David and readers, I nicked off to vote - and was in the queue for ages - hours.
Back at my post now. And ready to rock and roll. (TL)

7.00pm: Still too early to call, but some interesting results coming in from some of the marginals (though be careful about relying on the ABC):

Hey @antonygreenABC, Dobell is not held by the ALP, but it may be soon. https://t.co/Euuzq2bC7U #AusDecides2016 pic.twitter.com/8tZA6ZrUvM
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

Keep up-to-date on all the individual seat results as they come in HERE.

Tony Abbott has copped a 14% swing against him so far:

LIVE BLOG: Tony Abbott has copped a 14 percent swing against him in the seat of Warringah. https://t.co/zWSKvCkLT2 pic.twitter.com/Ngyng8g3PV
— newmatilda (@newmatilda) July 2, 2016

6.30pm: The first tallies are in:

With 0.8 % of the vote in, the ABC has declared a large number of seats: https://t.co/yAToYZS76p #AusDecides2016 pic.twitter.com/zxIMMhjNrf
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

6.00pm: Into that curious period when the TV stations have no results to broadcast but have already started their coverage. Channel Nine have Arthur Sinodinos on their panel, if my memory serves me. (DD)

Why on earth would Channel Nine have Arthur Sinodinos on their panel. Surely someone with functional recall would be better! #AusDecides2016
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

5.45pm: Some positive news for the good guys:

Just hearing the Channel Seven exit poll has Labor in front. #AusDecides2016
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

@davrosz And @9NewsAUS has their exit poll at 50/50 #TooCloseToCall
— Ryan Kincade (@ryan_kincade) July 2, 2016

5.30pm: The battle for Higgins has really gotten feral!

Check this out:

Libs bite back: Greens vol. allegedly bitten by Lib in fight for Higgins https://t.co/asdVkhQDC3 via @theage
Dad's Army puts the bite on
— Don Wilson (@gorgeousdunny1) July 2, 2016

Biting!

5.00pm: Into the last hour of voting in the Eastern states. We should start getting some early results in in the next couple of hours. (DD)

4.30pm: Some more AEC shennanigans. This time from Stephen Mayne in Goldstein:

WTF is going on in Goldstein and the AEC? The latest from @MayneReport fame in his battle against Kevin Andrews. pic.twitter.com/TidZgzTS2R
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

That tweet should read Menzies of course, not Goldstein. Click HERE for the full edition. (DD)

4.00pm: SOPHIE MIRABELLA 'BARES' ALL FOR DAIRY INDUSTRY

'Concerns were raised about costs to production including the dairy industry levy, carbon tax and interest paid on loans. Farmers I have spoken with are concerned with the levy they are paying to Dairy Australia - for some farms that’s a cost of $14,000 a year that they cannot afford to bare at this time and can’t see direct benefits to their businesses.'

http://www.sophiemirabella.com

Well, I guess the fall back position could be a fund-raising nude calendar and if udders were involved, we could take a cue from the ' free the nipple 'campaigners and fashion a ' free the udder' campaign. That would work.

That would also give drongos like Senator Cory Bernardi a chance to again draw the unintelligent design link between same sex marriage and bestiality.

We might as well milk this for everything we haven't got from the old parties! (TL)

2.30pm: Sorry about that, just a bit of an intermission while me and my associates gained some well needed sustenance at the local watering hole, the Northcliffe Surf Club. What's been happening while I've been gone?

Make sure you tweet any election day news and gossip to IA's live election day feed at #AusDecides2016 pic.twitter.com/nmtJA1ljvB
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

12.30pm: You need to watch out for those sneaky AEC people not signaturing your ballot papers, apparently!

Election fraud watch.Staffers not signing ballots before handing them to punters.Double check! #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/Cbr5pnFDEg
— )(Jerrah)( (@UptightGamer) July 2, 2016

Dammit, I've already voted. Did the dude sign it. I can't remember. Arrrrggggghhhhh!!! (DD)

Anyway, this was the view looking out after voting at the Gold Coast Council chambers. The backdrop as good a symbol as any of three years of Tory rule.

Voting in Surfers Paradise. #ausvotes #ausdecides2016 pic.twitter.com/9fIgsKGfHX
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

12 noon: First post from Tess Lawrence...

THE OTHER BATCHELOR reality video — Peter caught in the Electorial Act?

Former Labor MP Peter Batchelor tears down Greens banners https://t.co/brBvC0JkDO
— Lisa Wilson (@animalsactivist) July 2, 2016

* No mention in the article of Peter's controversial history in this regard. (TL)

11.30am: Right, I'm off to vote. Here's something interesting about Medicare while I'm gone. (DD)

Don't lose Medicare!
That's the message from one of my ex-pat friends in America via Facebook: pic.twitter.com/FPpbejPTfy
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 1, 2016

11am: In case you missed it, great new story on IA this morning from Andrew Elder on why the underrated Bill Shorten has given the Liberal Party such a scare in this election. Why he may still even confound the pundits and win! Maybe... (DD)

The underestimated Bill, by @awelder https://t.co/Nt53BzxyUq @IndependentAus #AusVotes #AusDecides2016
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

10.30am: It is simply impossible to keep Stuart Rolex ... errr... I mean, Stuart Robert out of the news.

Latest is that one of the "independent" candidates he funded at the recent Gold Coast council elections was caught handing out how-to-vote cards for the digraced former minister.

One of Stuart Rolex's "independent" candidates caught handing out Liberal Party HTV cards. https://t.co/Sp1X8ZQ2c7 pic.twitter.com/hT3RiG277A
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 2, 2016

He's as dodgy as a two-bob watch! (DD)

10.00am: News is that Bill Shorten spent last night feeding the homeless in Sydney.

Bill Shorten Spent Election Eve Feeding Homeless People https://t.co/sIj20mTpMz @workmanalice #AusVotes pic.twitter.com/s28YQMNEXo
— BuzzFeedOz Politics (@BuzzFeedOzPol) July 1, 2016

Not sure what Malcolm Turnbull was up to. Probably something to do with "jobs and growth".

(Or possibly consuming delicious succulent French truffles.) (DD)

9.30am: A bit of voting confusion here in Surfers Paradise, with the Australian Electoral Commission website initially stating (now fixed) that there was a polling booth a Surfers Paradise State School on the Isle of Capri, when in fact it is located at the Anglican Church further up the road. Oops!

Luckily for the Liberal Party, Moncrief is a safe seat, because this blunder has surely disenfranchised many of the Liberal's core constituents! (DD)

Can't argue with this: pic.twitter.com/FLgpFkO3Nm
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) July 1, 2016

9.00am: Polling booth have opened in the Eastern States and we're off! Can't say that I feel confident predicting the outcome, but my prediction is out there if you care to search for it. (DD)