Australia's "kingmaker" independent MPs were set to hold talks on Tuesday after weekend elections failed to produce a clear winner, triggering the worst political deadlock in decades.
The three, from rural constituencies, were expected to meet in Canberra as they are courted by both Prime Minister Julia Gillard's left-leaning Labor party and the conservative Liberal/National coalition.
Saturday's dramatic elections remain on a knife-edge with Labor holding 72 seats against 70 for the coalition as officials laboriously count postal and absentee votes, a process that could take more than a week.
"The make-up of the parliament is looking interesting to say the least," said Rob Oakeshott, one of the three MPs who are expected to hold the balance of power, along with Tony Windsor and Bob Katter.
"At best... it's looking very, very tight," Oakeshott said. "All of these final seats are critical and will form how negotiations will take place over the next few days and weeks".
The trio have responded to their sudden and surprising entry into the limelight by promising to negotiate together as Labor fights to stay in power and the coalition looks to end Gillard's brief reign.
Voters turned on Australia's first woman leader with a negative swing of about 5.4 per cent after she dumped elected prime minister Kevin Rudd in June and ran a chaotic campaign plagued by leaks.
The Greens party enjoyed a record vote share and won its first seat at national polls, Melbourne's Adam Bandt, who appears likely to side with Labor -- making Gillard the narrow bookmakers' to form a minority government.
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