Roundup: Australian coalition government secures slim majority in lower house

Australia's center-right Liberal-National Party coalition, led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, is set to govern in its own right after it secured the 76 seats needed to form a majority government late on Monday evening.

Turnbull had previously sat down with crossbench MPs in an attempt to gain their support in the event of a minority government - in which no major parties secures the 76 seat majority to govern under its own right - however victories in the "in doubt" seats of Capricornia and Flynn in Queensland means the coalition does not need independent support in the House of Representatives.

The coalition had been trailing the opposition Labor Party in the vote count in both of those seats last week, however long distance and postal votes swung the result the way of the Liberal-Nationals.

However the coalition is not expected to win more than 76 seats, with Labor predicted to clinch the remaining two electorates which are currently still considered too close to call.

That will mean Turnbull will form government with the slimmest possible majority in the lower house, while his coalition might struggle to pass key legislation through the Senate, even in the event of a joint sitting of Parliament.

On Tuesday, respected election analyst Antony Green from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) told Fairfax Media the coalition was most likely to secure 30 seats in the Senate, Labor will win 27, the Greens will win eight, while there will also be three Nick Xenophon Team Senators, three One Nation Senators, as well as independents Jacqui Lambie and Derryn Hinch.

Green said there were still three Senate spots - in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia - too close to call.

Coalition insiders believe that in the case of a joint sitting - which is expected to occur in order to pass the previously-blocked Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) bill - the government will have at least 112 of the 114 votes required before taking into account results from the undecided lower House and Senate seats.

The new government is expected to be sworn in early next week, by which time the new coalition agreement between the Liberal Party and the Nationals is expected to be finalized.

Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is reportedly keen to secure greater Nationals representation on the front bench after his party secured 16 seats during the election - up from nine in 2013.

However it has been reported that current Nationals frontbencher Nigel Scullion may be dumped as part of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's "refreshed" and younger front bench.

Joyce refused to talk to the press about Scullion's place in cabinet on Tuesday morning, fueling speculation about possible discontent within the coalition ranks.

The coalition agreement will be discussed on Tuesday and throughout the week before Governor-General George Brandis returns from official duties in France to swear in the 45th Parliament. Endit