Australian election results

The Australian Election Commissiontally board is up and running. And Howard's seat - one to watch.

------------UPDATE 1:30AM------------
Oh and Howard's full-on endorsement of Peter Costello as his ordained replacement as leader during his concession speech was outrageous - wasn't it. It seemed totally inappropriate - it's surely up to the caucus to decide - and he ain't gonna be in it - so shut-up. That Turnbill guy survived against the odds in a Sydney seat (unlike Howard) and he had a moment there when he looked like the new leader - which I guess is what Howard's trying to head off.

------------UPDATE 1AM------------
Labour wins. Was Bennelong a seat to watch or what! That last minute shift by the bookies was the tip off. He just conceded it.
HOWARD, John Winston Liberal - 48.86%
McKEW, Maxine Labor - 51.14%
She's about 500 ahead with all booths reporting. On the national scene:

FIRST PREFERENCES
Enrolment: 13,645,073 Votes Counted: 74.46%
Party Votes Percentage % Swing %
Liberal 3,517,670 36.03 -4.37
Australian Labor Party 4,308,250 44.13 +5.78
The Greens 747,680 7.66 +0.64
The Nationals 519,756 5.32 -0.42
Family First 193,987 1.99 -0.03
Democrats 67,252 0.69 -0.49
One Nation 23,374 0.24 -0.88
CDP Christian Party 82,537 0.85 +0.25
Citizens Electoral Council 20,792 0.21 -0.13
CLP - The Territory Party 30,012 0.31 -0.02
Socialist Alliance 7,966 0.08 -0.04
The Fishing Party 1,554 0.02 +0.00
DLP - Democratic Labor Party 4,313 0.04 +0.03
Climate Change Coalition 7,303 0.07 +0.07
Conservatives for Climate and Environment Incorporated 2,376 0.02 +0.02
Liberty and Democracy Party 12,360 0.13 +0.13
Non-Custodial Parents Party 636 0.01 +0.00
Socialist Equality Party 3,281 0.03 +0.03
What Women Want (Australia) 2,847 0.03 +0.03
Independent 206,973 2.12 -0.20
Non Affiliated 898 0.01 -0.02
.... 0 0.00 -0.38
FORMAL 9,761,817 96.08 +1.56
INFORMAL 398,020 3.92 -1.56
TOTAL 10,159,837 74.46

TWO PARTY PREFERRED
Enrolment: 13,645,073 Votes Counted: 72.89%
Coalition Votes Percentage % Swing %
Liberal/National Coalition 4,462,131 46.69 -5.51
Australian Labor Party 5,094,356 53.31 +5.51

The Greens get 7.66% but don't win a single House seat. That's First past the post. Thank the heavens this country was bold enough to change to a proportional system. The Greens in Aussie will pick up some Senate seats - though all the TV coverage is elsewhere. they are picking up Senate votes in NSW 8.29%, Vic 9.93%, Qld 7.45%, WA 9.33%, SA 6.38%, and the Green's Bob Brown is definitely back in in Tasmania with a 17.74%, ACT 21.91%, NT 9.38%. So the question to the Greens in NZ is this: why are you doing so badly compared with your counterpart in Australia?

Now Rudd is giving a very pre-rehearsed (I've heard many of the lines before) and masculine speech to convey authority and inclusiveness, but he's so slick it's slightly unnerving. He's committed firstly to paying back the unions by dealing to Howard's work choice labour laws. The cunt doesn't mention NZ at all when he's listing the ones he will work with. NZ is in the "other" category. And he's a former diplomat so it probably wasn't a slip either.... not that we actually care, but you know - it would have been nice - it would have been polite.