Australians are casting ballots in a national election on Saturday, with opinion polls showing having a slight edge over the conservative opposition on a two-party preferred basis.
Polling booths across the country are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (2200 Friday-0800 Saturday GMT).
Voting is mandatory for every citizen in , one of the few democracies worldwide with such a requirement.
There are about 18 million eligible voters, and around 8 million of them had already cast ballots before Saturday.
The election comes at a time of heightened geopolitical and trade uncertainty sparked by US President Donald Trump’s policies. Trump has also hit Australia with a .
Surveys show that high prices are the top voter concern, with Australians enduring one of the sharpest rises in the cost of living in recent years. An acute shortage of housing has also inflated rents, exacerbating public discontent.
What did the parties promise voters?
Albanese, 62, hopes to become the first Australian prime minister in 21 years to lead a political party to two consecutive election victories.
He has promised modest tax cuts, cheaper health care and new homes for first-time buyers. He has also pledged more subsidized child care, electricity bill rebates and a 20% reduction in student debt.
Labor also wants to replace fossil fuel-fired electricity generators with as part of its efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Albanese’s conservative rival and leader of the opposition Liberal-National coalition, Peter Dutton, 54, has vowed to slash fuel tax, curb gas prices, and invest in infrastructure for half a million homes.
Dutton also touts a $200 billion (€177 billion) plan to build seven large-scale nuclear reactors by 2050, while ramping up gas production, and slowing the rollout of solar and wind projects. He also pledged to cut thousands of public sector jobs.
Expect ‘a lot of surprises’
Albanese said on Friday that his government represents certainty and stability, in contrast to the conservative Liberal-National coalition, which he said stands for “cuts and chaos.”
“My government has offered stable leadership in uncertain times,” he said.
Dutton, meanwhile, has predicted “a lot of surprises, seat by seat” on Saturday night.
“I haven’t met an Australian on this campaign who said that they’re better off today than they were three years ago,” he said.
Dutton had led in opinion polls as recently as February. But some polls showed he was losing support because of Trump, whom he praised earlier this year as a “big thinker” with “gravitas” on the global stage.
Several polls suggest Labor may be forced into a minority government, with a third of voters opting for independents and minor parties.
The election results could come as soon as Saturday night, unless the vote is very tight.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
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