From the ABC:
Current count has Lib 74, Lab 72.
The AFR ejaculates its headlines prematurely:
Malcolm Turnbull is assured of forming government – possibly in his own right – after two more seats fell the Coalition’s way and it two others swung its way.
With the Coalition now sitting on 72 seats, which is four short of an absolute majority of 76, the Prime Minister, nevertheless, continued to prepare for a hung Parliament by scheduling face-to-face meetings with lower house independents.
He met South Australian senator Nick Xenophon in Sydney on Wednesday, will meet Queensland independent Bob Katter in Brisbane on Thursday and hopes to meet the other independent Cathy McGowan before the end of the week.
As minds inside the Coalition turn towards governing again, sources confirmed that Mr Turnbull, who lost three junior ministers at the election, is likely to promote up-and-coming conservatives Zed Seselja and Michael Sukkar, on the dual basis of merit and that their elevation will help ease the factional tensions that have exploded since the election.
There is also rampant speculation that Health Minister Sussan Ley will be shifted to another portfolio after Mr Turnbull admitted this week that Labor’s scare campaign had exposed health as a key policy weak spot for the Coalition.
