▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 1 ▁year ▁Howard ▁Liberal - National ▁Co al ition ▁ ▁government ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁power ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁election . ▁This ▁election ▁also ▁marked ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁six - year ▁Rud d - G ill ard ▁Labor ▁government . ▁ ▁Future ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Scott ▁Mor r ison ▁and ▁future ▁opposition ▁leader ▁Bill ▁Short en ▁entered ▁parliament ▁at ▁this ▁election . ▁, ▁this ▁remains ▁the ▁last ▁time ▁the ▁Labor ▁party ▁has ▁won ▁a ▁majority ▁at ▁the ▁federal ▁level . ▁ ▁Results ▁ ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁results ▁ ▁At ▁ 8 . 0 0   pm , ▁the ▁first ▁person ality ▁to ▁call ▁the ▁election ▁was ▁former ▁Labor ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Bob ▁Haw ke ▁on ▁Sky ▁News . ▁At ▁ 1 0 . 2 9   pm ▁A E ST , ▁approximately ▁two ▁hours ▁after ▁the ▁last ▁pol ls ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia ▁closed , ▁Liberal ▁deput y ▁leader ▁Peter ▁Cost ello ▁conced ed ▁that ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁had ▁lost ▁government . ▁At ▁ 1 0 . 3 6   pm , ▁John ▁Howard ▁delivered ▁a ▁speech ▁at ▁the ▁Sof itel ▁W ent worth ▁Hotel ▁in ▁Sydney ▁to ▁conced e ▁defeat . ▁At ▁ 1 1 . 0 5   pm , ▁Kevin ▁Rud d ▁delivered ▁his ▁victory ▁speech . ▁ ▁Labor ▁won ▁ 8 3 ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 5 0 ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁incoming ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives . ▁This ▁represented ▁a ▁ 2 3 - se at ▁swing ▁to ▁Labor . ▁The ▁Liber