As counting continues in undecided seats -- including Fairfax, where Clive Palmer had a strong result and Indi where Liberal Sophie Mirabella is battling it out with independent Cathy McGowan -– the Coalition is on track for a 30-seat majority in the House of Representatives.
The Senate however is set to be a power puzzle for the Coalition, with the balance of power likely to be held by a suite of minor party players.
Tony Abbott's deputy Julie Bishop says the new Coalition government will start the first week in Canberra with a party room meeting which will discuss a new cabinet.
The next foreign minister, Ms Bishop says the Coalition will be very orthodox and methodical about the move into government.
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She says with some seats still being counted, they expect to swear in a new ministry early next week, and until then Kevin Rudd remains caretaker prime minister.
She says a trip to Indonesia soon is still a priority for Mr Abbott, who's vowed to stop the boats and turn them back to Indonesia when it's safe to do so.
The first asylum seeker boat since the coalition won government on Saturday has been intercepted off the Northern Territory coast with 88 passengers and two crew members on board.
SENATE POWER PUZZLE
The Senate looks set to be a power puzzle for prime minister elect Tony Abbott, with the balance of power likely to be held by a suite of minor party players after the middle of next year.
A complex system of preferencing looks set to deny the Coalition a 39-seat majority in the upper house, while granting a Senate ticket to newcomers like former rugby league player Glenn Lazarus in Queensland for the Palmer United Party.
On current projections, the Coalition is expected to get an unchanged national total of 34 senators, while Labor will have 26 senators, down five from its current standing.
Independent Nick Xenophon who'll be returned in South Australia, says the process of micro-party preferencing is bizarre and there needs to be greater transparency in the process.
In the mix across the nation are candidates from the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party and the Australian Sports Party, while in NSW, One Nation founder Pauline Hanson is jostling for a place with Liberal Democrats lead candidate David Leyonhjelm.
