How shock coalition win unfolded inside Liberal HQ

It was expected not to be a party, so much as a wake for a Liberal-National Coalition whose grip on power appeared to be slipping from their fingers.

But slowly, as the night unfolded at Liberal party HQ at Sydney’s Sofitel Wentworth, an unprecedented u-turn delivered a sweeping victory even the exit polls got wrong.

And by the time Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrived to declare victory at three minutes to midnight, the crowds, fuelled by beers they by now were grabbing by the tray, were at fever pitch.

While early seat declarations after the polls closed had been good, few supports gathered dared to dream they’d actually secure a win.

While volunteer David Smith, 32, said he was “quietly confident”, he refused to be sure, telling nine.com.au “Let’s see what happens… we will wait for the figures”.

It was only when a defeated Tony Abbott declared in his concession speech, shown as part of rolling coverage on big screens, that while he was gone, the coalition was shaping for a win, that supporters seemed to allow themselves to believe it was really happening.

Former Chief of Staff to John Howard, Graeme Morris, told nine.com.au: “When we started this night, the Prime Minister was going for bronze… then he got silver. Now he’s going for gold.

“If he wins, the Liberal Party owes him diamonds.

“It’s not what anyone expected.”

And as every Liberal seat victory was declared on TV, cheers rang out.

Soon, they were coming every couple of minutes.

NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian arrived to a room full of growing confidence, before Liberal legend, former PM John Howard appeared.

He refused to declare a win when asked by reporters, but by now it was only a matter of time, as TV stations began to call it.

Liberal supporter Natasha Goulde told nine.com.au she was “blown to pieces,” at the result.

Margaret Butler, 54, from Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs added she thought Labor had got its messaging so wrong.

“I think Australian people have said no to a big tax grab by Labor,” she said  “It’s a credit to the Australian people.

“This is not from the top of the town. All those inner city seats that were taken by Liberals, like Wentworth, they’re coming back.”

Finally, at 11.30pm, Shorten conceded.

The Liberal crowd punctuated his speech with cheers and boos as they thought appropriate.

They now knew Morrison’s victory speech was only minutes away, with the PM already in the hotel.

Chants of “SCO-MO, SCO-MO” erupted, with supporters jostling against barriers marking his path to the podium in the hope of a selfie with the Prime Minister nobody had thought would survive the night.

“I have always believed in miracles,” he declared, as he took to the stage, with his family, in front of a crowd that now, believes in them too.