The Greens seize the Senate balance of power

“We want to work with Anthony Albanese to deliver the stable, effective, progressive government that Australians have voted for, but he will need to work constructively with the Greens and the rest of the crossbench.”

Pocock ahead, Eric Abetz defeated

Key policies the Greens took to election included a levy on coal exports, a moratorium on new coal mines and gas fields and achieving net-zero emissions by 2035.

Former Wallabies skipper David Pocock could be the next Senate kingmaker if vote counting goes his way. Alex Ellinghausen

In the ACT, former Wallabies captain David Pocock, who ran as an independent, is set to beat Senator Seselja, thanks to preferences from the Greens and independent Kim Rubenstein, and claim the second seat behind the new Finance Minister Katy Gallagher.

That creates a clear bloc of 39 seats, enough to pass legislation in the 76 seat chamber.

Mr Pocock was not claiming victory, but if he succeeds will push Labor to overturn a bill banning the territories from legislating for euthanasia as well as wiping the ACT’s $100 million in housing debt, as well as demand tougher action on climate change.

But Senator Seselja was not conceding, putting his faith in a “significant number” of pre-poll and postal votes yet to be counted, which he said tended to favour the Liberals.

Senator Jacqui Lambie (right) shows off some of her merchandise with Senate candidate Tammy Tyrrell. Grant Wells

If Mr Pocock falls short, the new government will be able to look to support from Jacqui Lambie and her new colleague, Tammy Tyrrell, who is set to defeat conservative stalwart and former minister Eric Abetz.

Rex Patrick, Stirling Griff defeated

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is ahead in the race for the final Senate seat in Queensland, defeating Senator Stoker.

While the last seat was originally tipped to be a four-way conservative shootout, the closest threat to Senator Hanson’s re-election is actually coming from Legalise Cannabis’ Bernard Bradley.

One Nation’s Jennifer Game has her nose ahead in the race for South Australia’s final seat but candidates from Labor, the Liberals and United Australia Party remain in the mix.

Sitting crossbenchers Rex Patrick and Stirling Griff have been defeated, while former senator Nick Xenophon’s attempt to re-enter parliament fell short.

In Victoria, the United Australia Party’s Ralph Babet is narrowly ahead but Labor, Liberal and Legalise Cannabis candidates are still in contention. If Mr Babet prevails, Liberal Greg Mirabella will lose his seat.

Labor has lost its third spot in NSW. Deputy Labor leader in the Senate Kristina Keneally had faced being relegated to this position on the ticket, forcing her to seek to switch to the lower house, but that endeavour ultimately failed.

However, the strong Labor result in Western Australia has put the party in the box seat to win three seats there. The collapse in the conservative vote means the Liberals will win just two of six seats, which has never happened before in WA, with Ben Small failing to re-enter parliament.

As is customary, Labor and the Country Liberal Party split the Northern Territory’s two seats.