Steggall's win against Abbott should have felt like a revolutionary occasion, but it's been somewhat of an anti-climax.
The reasons for Labor's failure will be widely discussed but it may have made the same mistake it made in 2004 — not offering a simple enough choice to voters.
Labor's platform wasn't bold at all. It was piecemeal but pricey, an inept combination, the worst possible.
The election campaign is over, but the effects of racist campaigning roll on in Melbourne's western suburbs and beyond.
The electoral reality is Australia is increasingly polarised and evenly split between voters who look at each other with incomprehension and disdain.
In the wake of the shock win, Clive Palmer and the Australian Christian Lobby are among those claiming a slice of the Coalition's victory.
It’s all Clive Palmer’s fault. It's all Queensland's fault. Penny Wong needs to lead the party. Whatever you pinned it on, this was a night of rage and resignation.
This was far from a status quo result, but rather some major swings in suburbs and regional areas that cancelled each other out.
Dutton's electors are older, whiter and more affluent than the average Australian. This came down to highways and franking credits.
Independent candidate Zali Steggall has thanked her supporters for "voting for the future". And with that, Abbott is condemned to the past.