Former prime minister Tony Abbott has claimed victory in the seat of Warringah on Sydney’s North Shore, with the LNP receiving 62 per cent of the votes when counting was just past halfway.

Mr Abbott addressed a crowd in Sydney and directed much of his speech at NSW Premier Mike Baird, who was in attendance.

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“Mike, I’ve been thinking back and the last time that we had a Coalition government in Canberra and a Coalition government in Macquarie Street, except for the last couple of years, was back in the 1970s.

“And frankly, it is about that long since we’ve had any decent infrastructure built in this part of Sydney.

“But I was so pleased to see … the new Northern Beaches Hospital up and running.”

He also acknowledged funds in the state budget going towards the Mosman Military Road tunnel.

“I couldn’t ask for a better friend and colleague than Mike Baird, an absolute gem of a man who is doing a fabulous job leading our state,” Mr Abbott said.

Former prime minister @TonyAbbottMHR is confident the Coalition will return to govern Australia #ausvotes https://t.co/VL5tDGJeus

— ABC News (@abcnews) July 2, 2016