Queensland faces days of uncertainty with neither major party looking like picking up enough seats to win outright.
On Monday, Labor was expected to win 44 seats in the state's 89-member parliament, with the incumbent LNP retaining at least 41 seats.
Glasshouse and Mansfield were close, but Whitsunday remained the only seat truly in doubt.
Some analysts were still calling Maryborough "in doubt", but Labor's Bruce Saunders had a clear 3% lead after more than 78% of the vote.
But with 45 seats needed for a majority Labor was projected to fall one seat short.
That brings the two Katter's Australian Party MPs, Robbie Katter and Shane Knuth, and independent Sunshine Coast MP Peter Wellington's support into play.
While Mr Wellington has indicated he would support Labor in a hung parliament, a move he made in 1998 to deliver power to Peter Beattie, Mr Katter said he had "no preconceived ideas".
All three were treated badly by the Newman Government, with the Katter Party MPs regularly singled out for contempt and attacks in parliament and Mr Wellington lambasted for what senior LNP ministers called his support for criminal motorcycle gangs, during the state's law and order reform battle.
All three signed a pledge last year as part of a crossbench coalition pledge to stop the LNP Government's proposed asset lease and privatisation plan.
"All we have is a list of priorities which we feel best reflect the interest of our electorates, but at the same time, deliver for Queensland," Mr Katter said on Sunday.
"If given the opportunity we will be presenting those priorities to both the major parties and see who best aligns with them and then make a decision after consulting with the party."
Mr Wellington was more absolute.
"I have already given a commitment that if I was to be re-elected, I would not support the LNP's proposed asset sales," he said.
"It is clearly the difference between Labor and the LNP."
Labor was reluctant to claim victory on Sunday, with Ms Palaszczuk choosing to make her first appearance at a thank you barbecue for supporters in Burpengary, where Mark Ryan took back the seat of Morayfield for the party with about an 18 per cent swing.
It was a calculated move by Ms Palaszczuk, who has spent the past 18 months guiding her party through a grassroots campaign, where doorknocking and community meet and greets took precedence over big spending promises and ad campaigns.
Ms Palaszczuk led her party, which was left with just seven MPs after the 2012 election, to its resurgence by building support back in traditional Labor heartland seats, around north Queensland and greater Brisbane.
She made asset leases the major issue of the campaign, running on a promise to not support the asset off-loading plan.
"Clearly Queenslanders have sent a message," she told supporters on Sunday.
"They have sent a message. They do not want their assets sold. And what is clear, it doesn't matter who leads the LNP.
"Whether it is Tim Nicholls, whether it is Scott Emerson, whether it is Lawrence Springborg, whether it is Jeff Seeney, they want to sell your assets. That is their only plan, their only plan is to sell your assets and Labor will stop that sale."
It may be what wins her government given both Mr Wellington and the Katter MP's distaste for privatisation.
But the LNP was not giving up with some MPs still optimistic the government could talk the Katter MPs across the line.
Many saw a government returned without Campbell Newman as leader as the preferred scenario, with Mr Newman's leadership style shouldering the blame for the voter backlash.
But many were also turning their attention to Tony Abbott and "distracting" federal issues such as the Prince Philip knighthood, which they blamed for the LNP failing to gain traction in the crucial last week of the campaign.
But while Labor waits, the LNP is staying quiet as it attempts to work out who will lead it, most likely in opposition, after just one term out of the political wilderness.
"We reflect, analyse, discuss, work out a strategy and act from there," one said.
"What else can we do?"
