Just like last time, the seat of Gilmore will be in doubt for days, as Fiona Phillips’ current lead after preferences is slim and there are a large number of pre-poll votes to be counted. Before midnight, Mr Constance was slightly in the lead.

He told supporters that it was time to pull up a chair and wait, while Fiona Phillips, the sitting MP, said she’d been through this before.

The last Australian Electoral Commission result after the count ended at midnight showed Mrs Phillips with a two party preferred vote of 50.98%, and Mr Constance with 49.02%.

So far, first preferences of the top three candidates have been:

• Andrew Constance        38,567
• Fiona Phillips                  33,535
• Carmel McCallum            9,305

Gilmore is one of the 13 seats nationally that still need to be called.

Last night, Scott Morrison conceded defeat and Anthony Albanese claimed victory. He is expected to be sworn in as Prime Minister on Monday, which will allow him to meet with the leaders of the US, Japan and India in Tokyo at the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) meeting on Tuesday.

It is unclear yet as to whether Labor will be able to govern in its own right, as at 71 seats it is still shy of the 76 seats needed.