The counting of votes has resumed in Australia following Saturday's closely fought general election. No party has achieved an outright majority although the Conservative Liberal National opposition coalition is slightly ahead of the governing Labour Party. The country is facing a period of political haggling as both the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her opponent Tony Abbott have acknowledged that they can not win the 76 seats needed for an outright majority.A handful of Independent MPs, one Green Party MP now hold the balance of power.