The polls closed 6 hours ago in the Australian federal election and usually by this time, we have a result. However, for the first time since 1940, Australia is likely to have a hung parliament. With 76 seats needed to win in the 150 seat House of Representatives, Australians have followed their cousins in the United Kingdom and decided that they don't want anyone to have a majority. At this time, it appears as though each of the major parties will have approx 72-73 seats, the Greens will have one seat (formerly ALP) and independents will retain 3 seats and perhaps gain a fourth.
With about 14 million votes cast (voting is compulsory in Australia), it may take days or even weeks to decide who has the most seats in the lower House and whether the Labor Party (ALP) or the Liberal/National Coalition (LNP) will negotiate with 4 or possibly 5 independents who have won seats in the lower House. Even with the support of the independents, it is most likely that we will have a minority government. See the excellent ABC website for the latest updates.
