Lieberals lose senate seats - face senate nightmare (updated)

Broadcaster Derryn Hinch has gained a senate seat

The whole alleged reason for Turnbull calling a double dissolution election was to clean out the senate of independents and increase Liberal numbers, so as to be able to pass the draconian building industry industrial relations legislation. It has been an abysmal failure.

Time will be needed to finalise the count, but the expected outcome finds the Liberals losing seats and facing an almost impossible task to pass legislation if Labor and the Greens team up.

The final Senate result may not be known for weeks as votes are tallied and preferences distributed. But it appears clear that far-right One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, Melbourne broadcaster Derryn Hinch and up to three Nick Xenophon Team senators will join outspoken independent Jacqui Lambie on the crossbench. 

Ms Hanson is confident of securing at least two Senate spots out of Queensland. The Liberal Democrats, Fred Nile's conservative Christian Democratic Party and other micro-party candidates are also still in the running. 

Mr Turnbull had hoped the double dissolution election, which put all 76 Senate spots up for grabs, would clean out a recalcitrant crossbench and allow a Coalition government to start anew. 

However the results suggest that strategy has misfired, and the next government may be forced to deal with a larger, more multifarious crossbench than the eight that wielded power in last Senate. 

It raises questions over whether the Coalition, if returned to power, could pass key reforms including its proposed company tax cuts. 

On Sunday, the ABC and political strategists were predicting the Coalition would secure about 30 Senate spots, a loss of three, and Labor would likely gain two spots with 27 senators. 

The Greens are predicted to finish with nine senators, a loss of one. Sydney Morning Herald  

 I can't see this gov lasting the next three years.