Govt will suffer swing: Joyce

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is expecting a swing against the coalition.

"I would be highly surprised if there wasn't some swing against the government," he told reporters in Tamworth on Saturday.

"It's just how far it goes."

But the Nationals leader is warning there'll be utter chaos if the House of Representatives is awash with independents.

The commonwealth would fail and it would be the end of government, he said.

"We'll literally not know who the prime minister is, no idea who the treasurer is.

"You'll just have 150 babbling brooks saying whatever they like, whenever they feel like."