Vote counting in crucial marginal seats has resumed more than a week since the federal election, with Labor on the cusp of security a majority government.
Labor is currently on 75 seats in the House of Representatives, according to the Australian Electoral Commission, one short of the 76 needed to govern in its own right.
Large numbers of absentee and declaration votes are expected to be counted on Monday.
Three seats remain in doubt, including the electorates of Gilmore, Deakin and Macnamara.
In Gilmore on the NSW south coast, Labor incumbent Fiona Phillips was ahead by 142 votes as of 1pm on Monday.
The narrow lead for Labor comes following absentee votes being counted.
Liberal Michael Sukkar has marginally increased his lead in the Melbourne seat of Deakin to 891 votes over Labor’s Matt Gregg.
The Melbourne seat of Macnamara is also another tight contest, with a three-horse race still under way between Labor, the Liberals and the Greens.
As of Monday, Liberal candidate Colleen Harkin is on 33.56 per cent, with Labor’s Josh Burns on 33.5 per cent and Steph Hodgins-May from the Greens on 32.93 per cent.
ABC election analyst Antony Green said the large number of declaration votes being counted on Monday should clarify the final result in marginal seats, unless the contests remained too close to call.
It comes as both the Liberal and National parties met in Canberra on Monday to elect their new leaders.
Peter Dutton was elected unopposed as the next Liberal leader, and opposition leader, with Sussan Ley also elected unopposed as the party’s deputy.
After a marathon party meeting, the Nationals selected David Littleproud as the next leader and Perin Davey as the deputy.
Meetings will take place on Tuesday within the government to determine the make up of the new cabinet.
The new front bench will be formally sworn into their roles on Wednesday.
