Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has thanked voters for re-electing his centre-right Coalition in a shock result at the federal polls.
He told supporters he had “always believed in miracles” as partial results showed the Liberal-National Coalition close to a majority.
Opposition Labor Party leader Bill Shorten has announced he is resigning after accepting defeat.
Exit polls had suggested a narrow Labor win for the first time in six years.
The final result of the election may not be known for some hours, but with more than 70% of votes counted the Coalition has won, or is ahead in, 74 seats in its quest for a 76-seat majority, with Labor on just 66 seats.
Saturday’s vote is the first general election since political infighting ousted Australia’s fourth leader in a decade.
Mr Morrison says he has united his conservative government – a coalition between his Liberal Party and its traditional ally the National Party – in the nine months since he replaced Malcolm Turnbull.
