LABOR MP Justine Elliot has been returned to the seat of Richmond for a further three years, as counting continues across the country to determine the nation’s next government.

Mrs Elliot, who first wrested the seat off the Nationals’ Larry Anthony in 2004, was pleased as results indicated she would retain the seat with an increased margin on the back of Greens preferences.

Results on Monday indicated Mrs Elliot had won 54.18% of the vote on a two-party preferred basis, increasing her margin with a swing of 2.6%.

The result is almost a mirror of the last election in 2013, with the same three main candidates in Mrs Elliot, Matthew Fraser (Nationals) and Dawn Walker (Greens) again making it a three-horse race.

On Monday, with all of Richmond’s 61 polling booths counted including its four specialised hospital units, Mrs Elliot had secured 31.35% of the primary vote, behind Mr Fraser’s 37.42% of the primary vote, with both candidates registering a swing against them.

However, the story of the night, as it has been for much of the lengthy campaign, was the strong Greens result, with Dawn Walker improving her standing by 5.28% to secure 20.65% of the primary vote so far.

Most of her preferences will be directed towards Labor, pushing Mrs Elliot over the line.

“It was certainly an encouraging day today with all the feedback we were getting, particularly on Labor’s positive plan to protect and save Medicare,” Mrs Elliot said on Saturday night.

Thanking her supporters, Mrs Elliot said her first priority on Monday morning would be to lobby for the restoration of the Tweed Valley Women’s Service, which supports victims of domestic violence.

The move was more sombre at the Nationals headquarters at Tweed Heads Bowls Club on election night, where a disappointed Mr Fraser met with his supporters.

“One of the things that has been a real disappointment, which happens every election, is the lies that are told,” Mr Fraser told his supporters.

“The ‘Mediscare’ campaign was big.

“But I am real proud of our campaign because we didn’t get down in the gutter, we kept it positive.”

Ms Walker said she was “thrilled to bits” with her results, attributing the Greens’ success to their grassroots campaigning.

Results for the remaining three candidates show One Nation’s Neil Smith securing 6.07% of the vote, the Animal Justice Party’s Angela Pollard picked up 3.05% of the vote, while Russell Kilarney secured 1.45% for the Christian Democrats.