Summary

  • Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed a "miracle" after he defied the pollsters

  • With most votes counted, his Liberal-National Coalition is set to be the largest party

  • Australia's opposition Labor leader Bill Shorten admitted defeat, resigning the party leadership

  • Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott lost the seat he'd held since 1994

  • More than 16 million Australians were registered to vote, and some four million voted before election day

  1. And that's it from uspublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    Scott Morrison and his familyImage source, EPA

    Well, that's the end of our live coverage of Australia election 2019.

    No-one predicted it, but the Liberal-National Coalition has won. PM Scott Morrison calls it "a miracle".

    We don't yet know if they have the 76 seats required for a majority, but they will certainly be in government.

    Labor's Bill Shorten has conceded and said he will step down as leader.

    The coalition has swept through Queensland, a state full of marginal seats.

    Former PM Tony Abbott has lost his seat.

    There are plenty of votes still to be counted - some may not be called for days. And the Senate can take weeks to settle.

    But we're leaving it here. Thanks for following and remember you can get all the latest Australia news from BBC News Australia and by adding "Australia" to your topics in the BBC News app.

  2. One battle left to come for Australiapublished at 15:40 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    With the election over - sort of - Australia's mind now looks to Tel Aviv, where the Eurovision Song Contest starts in a few hours.

    Yes, Australia is in the Eurovision Song Contest.

    Our colleagues at BBC Entertainment will be bringing you all of that. So from the BBC team here in Sydney, good luck to Kate Miller-Heidke.

  3. Bill Shorten signs offpublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    The polls - 56 consecutive weeks of them - pointed to a win for Labor and Bill Shorten.

    It wasn't to be.

    Bill ShortenImage source, Getty Images
    Bill ShortenImage source, Getty Images
  4. Clean up starts at Labor HQpublished at 15:23 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    The party is over at the Labor HQ and the clean up has begun.

    Kate Rose is there for the BBC and sent us this scene. Just a few people were left to watch Scott Morrison's victory lap.

    Labor volunteers at HQ in Melbourne
  5. Morrison the 'trustworthy, daggy dad'published at 15:20 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    Hywel Griffith
    BBC News, Sydney

    Try finding someone who says they saw this result coming.

    For well over two years, the coalition has trailed behind Labor in the opinion polls, and the assumption had been it would be Labor's turn to govern.

    But somehow Scott Morrison managed to turn things around at the 11th hour – and he did it largely on his own.

    With some of his cabinet colleagues considered too toxic to appear in public on the campaign trail, ScoMo made this election about him, and his ability to be the trustworthy, daggy dad Australia needed.

    In the end, it was very, very close, but the voters decided, on balance, he deserved the "fair go" he craved.

  6. Morrison's closing words: Australians will 'get a go'published at 15:20 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    The PM wraps up his speech with another one of his campaign sayings - Aussies will "get a go" under his government.

    "We're going to get back to work for the Australians that we know go to work every day, who face those struggles and trials everyday," he says.

    "They're looking for a fair go and they're having a go and they're going to get a go from our government."

  7. Morrison salutes MPs in against-odds resultpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    The PM goes on to thank many members of his cabinet, and winners of significant races.

    He also thanks the party's directors, saying: "They have set a new mark, a new model, a new way for us to campaign as a Liberal and National team."

  8. Shorten's concession and exitpublished at 15:16 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    To summarise Labor leader Bill Shorten earlier - he has conceded and is stepping down as party leader after almost six years.

    Glassy-eyed, he spoke with conviction in praising his team and their campaign.

    Labor had offered a comprehensive package and solid commitments on healthcare, climate change and cutting tax benefits, he said.

    "I say to all of you here tonight.... carry on the fight.

    "Labor's next victory will belong to our next leader and I'm confident that victory will come at the next election."

  9. Morrison thanks Queenslandpublished at 15:10 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    The PM says thanks to “pretty much the whole state of Queensland” for helping him sweep to victory.The crowd in Sydney chants “Queensland, Queensland, Queensland!”

    Scott Morrison stands with his family on stage in Sydney
  10. Morrison: 'I will burn for you'published at 15:07 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    That's been a common refrain from the PM on the election trail, referring to his "quiet Australian" voters.

    "I said that I was going to burn for you, and I am, every single day," he says.

  11. Morrison: 'This is not about me'published at 15:05 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    "Tonight is not about me, it's not even about the Liberal party," says the PM.

    "Tonight is about every single Australian who depends on their government to put them first.

    "That is exactly what we're going to do."

  12. Morrison thanks 'the quiet Australians'published at 15:04 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    "It has been those Australians who have worked hard every day, the have their dreams, they have their aspirations, to get a job, to get an apprenticeship, to start a business,to meet someone amazing...

    "To start a family, to buy a home, to work hard and provide the best you can for your kids. To save for your retirement.

    "These are the quiet Australians who have won a great victory tonight!"

  13. Morrison: 'How good is Australia!'published at 15:02 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    "How good is Australia," he says. A recurring motif of his campaign.

    "This is the best country in the world in which to live."

  14. Morrison: 'I have always believed in miracles'published at 15:01 British Summer Time 18 May 2019
    Breaking

    Scott Morrison starts by thanking Bill Shorten and wishing him "all the best'.

    "I have always believed in miracles," he says.

  15. Shorten: 'Politics should be the battle of ideas'published at 14:51 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    "We worked incredibly hard. We advanced ideas. We campaigned on a positive vision. We were upfront and clear about the reforms that both sides of politics have ignored for decades. We have said loud and clear that Australia needs action on climate change.

    "This is what politics should be in our country. Politics should be the battle of ideas.

    "Labor is a great party. We are a resilient and proud movement and we never give up. Falling down is not our challenge, standing up again is our mark. Leave here knowing we've argued for the future and our time will come. Count upon that."

  16. Boos in Liberal HQ for Shorten on climatepublished at 14:46 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    In Sydney, Liberals are watching Shorten's concession speech.

    The BBC's Gary Nunn reports huge cheers as he says he's conceded. And boos as Shorten says Australia must take action on climate change.

    Cheering Liberal members
    Image caption,

    Liberal party supporters and members cheers as Shorten concedes

  17. Shorten: 'We argued what was right not what was easy'published at 14:45 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    Bill Shorten says he's proud of Labor's package of reforms.

    "I am not disappointed for me. I'll always be proud of the courage and the integrity and the vision that our team showed. I'm disappointed for people who depend upon Labor but I'm proud that we argued what was right, not what was easy."

  18. Shorten: 'This campaign has been toxic at times'published at 14:42 British Summer Time 18 May 2019

    "This has been a tough campaign, toxic at times," says Mr Shorten.

    "But now that the contest is over, all of us have a responsibility to respect the result."

    Bill Shorten
  19. Shorten: 'I wish we could have done it for Bob'published at 14:41 British Summer Time 18 May 2019
    Breaking

    More from Shorten:

    "What I have always loved about the Labor party and still do is the ideas we champion, the people we empower, the people who count on us, the people who need good strong reforming Labor government."

    "Gee I wish we could have formed a government for these Australians on this evening.

    "I wish we could have done it for Bob," he says, meaning the former Labor PM Bob Hawke who died on Thursday.

    "But it was not to be."

  20. Shorten to stand down as Labor leaderpublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 18 May 2019
    Breaking

    He says he will not be a candidate in the next leadership ballot for a party he has led for nearly six years.