UPDATE:
Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has declared victory for the seat of New England, but has accepted the Coalition has lost government.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
At the time of writing he had collected 52.3 per cent of the primary vote, but had suffered a 2.2 per cent swing against him, with Labor increasing their support by more than 5 per cent.
He accepted victory in the New England with none of the vigour and excitement he showed during the 2019 election and 2017 by-election.
Mr Joyce said the Coalition nor Labor would win government with a majority, despite Labor only needed a few more seats to do so, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceding the election.
He also said if mistakes are made, there is a chance the nation could "fail".
"You must look to your nation and ask yourself what is best for your nation, and what can I do for my nation, because without this nation of Australia there is nothing, there is nothing before us if this nation fails," he said.
"Whether it's a Coalition government, which it won't be, a Coalition minority government, which maybe it might be, a Labor government, which it won't be, or a Labor minority government, which it possibly might be, has a mighty task and as a nation we've got to bind together," he said.
"We've got to be ready for this and we've got to be ready for this, we've got to prepare because every day is a day up your sleeve which otherwise you mightn't have had.
"Every time someone suggests to you something that will make us week, you might rail against them with fury, as something that is completely abdominal."
Regardless of who takes power, he said there is a common goal that the nation needs to aim towards, which is stopping the rise of China in the Pacific region.
"We've got to become strong because what is before us [China] is quite formidable and very scary, and if we don't form government I truly wish the Labor party the very best," he said.
"That's an odd thing to say, but I really mean it."
EARLIER:
LABOR'S New England candidate Laura Hughes has conceded the election to incumbent Barnaby Joyce, but remains pleased with the party's efforts this campaign.
Labor look poised to create a swing against Mr Joyce, and Ms Hughes said that was an indication more people were looking for a change.
"In the New England I've certainly spoken with people who are keen for a change, this is a national stronghold, there's no two ways about that, I'm not pretending it's not," she said.
"But there are people who are looking for more action on a number of things, like climate change, secure jobs and good wages, aged care."
She said people were glad to have a choice at this election to express their dissatisfaction towards the Coalition government, and said her large team of hard-working volunteers had increased Labor's profile.
"We've had the most volunteers we've ever had, which is very exciting," she said.
"So we manned almost every booth in the electorate."
EARLIER:
In a somber speech on election night, Barnaby Joyce has slammed wealthy and selfish voters in the inner city for weakening Australia.
The deputy prime minister, who has retained his seat, forecast a hung parliament.
"The better the suburb, the bigger the problem, that's what's happening" he said.
"Because they don't care if a person's really out of a job in a regional area, it's not really an issue to them but it's a big issue to our people."
The Liberal Party appears to have lost seats in metropolitan electorates in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney to both Labor, the 'teal' independents, and the Greens.
He said there had been two elections: in regional and urban Australia.
"In regional Australia we're going very well," he said.
"In a lot of areas the Nats have got swings too them, not away from them, too them."
The 18-year veteran MP has been returned as member for New England in his fifth election, but still doesn't know if he'll keep his position as deputy prime minister.
In a speech in which he paid tribute to his small army of volunteers on Saturday night, and put his faith in the Northern Territory electorate of Lingiara, the coal seat of Hunter, and pre-poll and postal votes to retain government.
Mr Joyce said whatever government was elected would be a "fracturous" one.
"From what I can see: hung parliament, that's what I reckon we're off too," he said.
"That's going to be fracturous and difficult for whomever ends up as government."
EARLIER:
Barnaby Joyce has predicted the National Party he leads will "do well" this election, with the coal electorate of the Hunter in play.
Mr Joyce told ABC said the party likes to campaign "below the radar", talking to votes one-on-one.
"I think we've got two election on here, the region Australia election and the urban Australia election," he said.
"In regional Australia they're just annoyed, especially at the Labor party.
"They think if they come up with a Sydney policy and somehow... put a bow on it it becomes a regional policy and it doesn't.
"They want you to protect their jobs, their jobs!'
The deputy prime minister is standing at his fifth election as member for New England.
He claimed the Labor party campaign in the coal electorate of the Hunter had given up
"I think it's on," he said.
"I think she's well and truly in play
"You have to remember, even asking that question - the Nats winning the hunter, gosh what does that say about the Labor party are going in regional areas?"
He said he didn't take any electorate for granted, even his own seat of New England.
EARLIER:
Incumbent Barnaby Joyce is polling well in early counting, boasting 50.7 per cent of the vote with 17.6 per cent counted. Some predictors have already called the seat for the Nationals.
However, the current tally actually represents a 4.2 per cent swing against Mr Joyce, with Labor on track for one of its strongest results in the electorate since the 1990s.
At the time of writing Indpendent Matt Sharpham was polling third-best, ahead of The Greens, One Nation, Liberal Democrats, Australia United Party and Independent Natasha Ledger.
Nationally there are some key battles still in the balance, with senior members of parliament under threat.
EARLIER:
THE voting polls have officially closed across the eastern seaboard, and New England residents now have to wait for counting before finding out who has won the seat.
Incumbent Barnaby Joyce, who is also the Nationals leader and deputy prime minister, is the strong favourite among the eight candidates, which includes Labor's Laura Hughes, The Greens' Carol Sparks, Pauline Hanson's One Nation's Richard Thomas, Liberal Democrats' Pavlo Samios, United Australia Party's Cindy Duncan, and Independents Matt Sharpham and Natasha Ledger.
A significant amount of people voted in pre-poll this year throughout the electorate, but all votes from today will be counted first. The majority of pre-polls will also be counted on Saturday night.