Anthony Albanese Rob Mitchell
Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell, right, with Labor leader Anthony Albanese at the announcement of $150 million for Camerons Lane in Beveridge in January.

The Australian Labor Party will form government, after Liberal leader Scott Morrison conceded defeat in the federal election.

Labor has won 72 seats, the Liberal National Party 52, candidates from other parties 11, while 16 remain in doubt.

Mr Morrison said he would resign as leader of the Liberals at the next party meeting. Former treasurer and deputy Liberal leader Josh Frydenberg is likely to lose his seat to Independent Monique Ryan.

Anthony Albanese will be Australia’s next Prime Minister.

In the electorate of McEwen, Labor’s Rob Mitchell will retain the seat.

For Nicholls, while not declared, Nationals candidate Sam Birrell looks set to be the next member, despite a large swing away from the Nationals to Independent Rob Priestly.

9pm update:

The counting of votes in the federal election is underway with experts forming an early prediction that the Coalition will be unable to form a majority government.

Early predictions are forecasting that Labor will form a minority government.

The Coalition is looking likely to lose several seats in Victoria, particularly inner Melbourne.

Sitting member Rob Mitchell is holding the advantage in the seat of McEwen despite a slight swing against him.

The projected two-candidate preferred for McEwen is showing Mr Mitchell 53.31 per cent and the Liberals Richard Welch 46.69 per cent, which is a 1.7 per cent swing away from Mr Mitchell.

With 39 of 55 of the McEwen polling places counted, Mr Mitchell has 13,775 first preference votes; Mr Welch 12,228; and the Greens Neil Barker 5845; United Australia Party’s Paul McRae 2079; Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’s Chris Bradbury 1878.

In Nicholls, Nationals candidate Sam Birrell is ahead of Independent Rob Priestly.

The Herald-Sun is reporting that Mr Birrell has retained the seat for the Nationals, following the retirement of Damian Drum. Mr Birrell is yet to claim victory.

The projected two-candidate preferred is Mr Birrell, 55.81 per cent, and Mr Priestly 44.19 per cent.

With 59 of 75 polling places returned, first preference votes sits at Mr Birrell 9738; Mr Priestly 9455; Liberals Steve brooks 5566; Labor’s Bill Lodwock 3544; Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’s Rikkie-Lee Tyrell 2607; United Australia Party’s Robert Peterson 1641; Liberal Democrats Tim Laird 1279; The Greens’ Ian Christoe 1104.

The pre-poll and postal votes are yet to be counted.