Federal Election 2025 live updates: Voters head to polls as Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton make final pitches
Anthony Albanese has faced a ‘crisis’ in the dying hours of the election campaign, calling into a radio station to share his struggle.
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With fewer than three hours to go until voting booths close on the east coast, Anthony Albanese has admitted he has not yet chomped down on a democracy sausage.
The Prime Minister cast his vote this afternoon at Marrickville West Public School in his seat of Grayndler.
Mr Albanese said he “would have loved to” hit up the sausage sizzle, but claimed the press blocked the way.
”There are these things called journalists, and … there were like 80 of them, I think at Marrickville West Public School, where I voted,” he told Sydney talkback station 2GB.
“So it’s all too chaotic, so I’ve missed out. I haven’t had lunch. It’s a crisis.”
He praised the tradition post-vote snag for raising money for PNCs and community groups around the country, saying it was “a great thing, them participating in the day”.
Mr Albanese was also asked about his plans for the night as the results come in.
He said it “can be a long night” and gave thanks for the footy.
”Like, you can’t do anything about it,” Mr Albanese said.
“There’s no point worrying about it. The votes are in the box. The counts will take place.
”Last time around in 2022 I cooked dinner. I cooked some pasta, and there were a few people at my home in Marrickville there, and most of them couldn’t eat, but my son, Nathan, I and Penny Wong had my pasta.
“Everyone else was too nervous as the results came in, but there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Handwritten note backfires for Albo
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been heckled over a handwritten note he posted to Instagram on election day.
The PM’s note, shared with no caption, read like a note to voters.
“Lower taxes, stronger Medicare, 20 per cent off student debt, free TAFE and five per cent deposits for first homebuyers,” it read.
“Vote Labor
“Anthony Albanese.”
However, voters were distracted from the message by the Prime Minister’s scrawl.
“Does that first line say LOWER TACOS?!” one commenter said.
“And home burgers,” another chimed in.
‘Keep Dutton out’: Dickson voters speak up
Voters in Peter Dutton’s marginal electorate of Dickson seem as divided as ever as they leave the polling booths on election day.
The north Brisbane seat has been held by the Opposition Leader for more than 20 years, and has drawn national attention this election both as that of the man vying to be the next Prime Minister and its diverse voter base and reports of growing discontent on national issues.
Voters turned out early at Pine Rivers State High School in Strathpine on Saturday morning.
While most people were eager to cast their ballots quickly, the process was slowed by a bottleneck at the exit, leading to frustration and some voters even opting to leave and try again later.
For those who did make it to the polling booths, opinions seemed divided.
Speaking to NewsWire, Craig, 43, expressed his dissatisfaction with the current political landscape, saying he placed all independent candidates ahead of the major parties to “send a message”.
He pointed specifically to the ongoing housing crisis and rising cost of living as key concerns.
Another voter, 34-year-old Alex, said his vote was driven by opposition to the Liberal leader himself.
“I voted for Labor to keep Dutton out,” he said, going on to claim Mr Dutton “lacks inclusiveness and a sense of community”.
Some voters maintained strong party loyalties, with one man who spoke to NewsWire anonymously offering a simple rationale for his choice: “I just prefer Liberals”.
Kazuma Shimizu, 32, said he previously supported Labor but switched his vote to the Greens, influenced in part by his experience as a renter.
“I know their housing policies and other ideas are a bit more radical, but I think that’s just what we need,” he said.
For 71-year-old Jay Sutherland, climate change was a key factor in her decision.
“There’s a lot of talk about climate, but it’s very slow-moving,” she said.
“I’ve got 17 grandchildren, so I’ve got to vote for their future.”
Another voter, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was previously a Liberal supporter but had switched to One Nation this election.
“I didn’t like how the major parties are focusing on sustainability and renewables,” he said, citing discontent with “the direction that the country is heading”.
Mr Dutton shrugged off the suggestion he could lose his seat to Labor candidate Ali France – based on exit polling of 200 early voters conducted by The Courier Mail earlier this week – in an appearance on Sky News on Friday.
“I never take a vote for granted in my seat and I’m always very grateful for the support that people provide to me, and we’ve held the seat since 2001,” Mr Dutton told Sky.
“I know there’s exit polling out at the moment but that’s notoriously inaccurate … I’m
confident of our position but I never take it for granted.”
Albo’s campaign by the numbers
Mr Albanese has now completed his last event for the campaign.
In the last five weeks, Mr Albanese has carried out more than 90 events across 52 electorates across Australia.
Including his wider cabinet, ministers and MPs have completed 385 visits in more than 100 electorates.
As a reminder, there will be a total of 150 seats up for play.
Albo hits critical booth at Reid
Mr Albanese’s second stop was in the inner west Sydney electorate of Reid, where Labor’s Sally Sitou is fending off an attack from Liberal candidate Grange Chung.
Ms Haydon, Ms Sitou and Toto accompanied Mr Albanese to the polling booth at Five Dock Public School where they spoke to volunteers and voters.
Volunteers chanted “Albo, Albo, Albo” as the group approached the grounds, welcome Mr Albanese, Ms Sitou and Ms Haydon with cheers.
In some brief remarks, Mr Albanese said Australians should be “really proud” to live in a democracy.
“People will wait to see what the outcome is, but we should be really proud that we live in a vibrant democracy where everyone gets their say, and everyone gets one vote, one value,” he said.
“It’s a great thing and around the world, democracy is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. we should cherish it. We should nourish it, and for everyone, handing out today and participating in the democratic process as well.
“No matter who they’re handing out for, that’s a good thing that they’re participating.”
Albo casts his vote in federal election
Anthony Albanese has cast his vote in his home electorate of Grayndler in Sydney’s inner west.
Fresh off a final bout of campaigning in Melbourne, the Prime Minister headed to Marrickville West Public School with his partner, Jodie Haydon, son Nathan, and cavoodle Toto.
While at the polling booth, Mr Albanese asked for a Labor Senate how to vote card.
He greeted AEC workers as he took his place in the booth next to his son, spending less than a minute filling his ballot.
He turned to photographers before dropping the green and white ballots in their respective boxes, which was better than his son who almost cast his votes in the wrong box before the Prime Minister intervened.
“I voted for him,” the younger Albanese said.
Mr Albanese expressed confidence he’d win the Marrickville West booth.
“It’s my local booth, if we don’t win this booth we’re in real trouble,” he said.
There was a bit of argy-bargy as Mr Albanese left the polling booth.
A Greens supporter followed the heavy contingent screaming: “Ceasefire now” and “Go the Greens”.
Mr Albanese was not the only big name to make an appearance at the polling booth in Sydney’s inner west.
Also spotted was Lewis the cavoodle – who boasts more than 13,000 fans on Instagram – sporting an Albo bandana.
– with pool journalists Ronald Mizen and Kat Wong
Dutton casts vote in Dickson
Peter Dutton has reached a critical milestone in his bid to become Australia’s next leader, casting his ballot in his own seat of Dickson in Brisbane’s northern suburbs.
The Opposition Leader voted shortly before 2pm on Saturday at Albany Creek Primary School. He is facing off against Labor’s candidate Ali France for the third time.
He was joined by wife Kirilly and sons Tom and Harry, who flanked him as he smiled while placing his ballot into the ballot box inside the largely empty school hall.
Outside, he told the media he was “confident Australians have seen out a bad government”.
“Australians can’t afford three more years of what they’ve experienced,” he said.
“They’re are a lot of families doing it really tough at the moment and … our positive plan is about making sure we can manage our economy and get inflation down.
“Get the 25 cent per litre cut in fuel and $1200 tax rebate back to people to help them now.
“They need help right now, not in 15 months with 70 cents per day in tax cuts.
“And, then we can provide housing opportunities for young Australians again and keep out country and our suburbs safe.”
Mr Dutton reiterated his belief that there were “a lot of quiet Australians out there today” who had come out to support the Coalition.
Dogs, democracy sausages, and a bit of glam
For politicians, elections are usually a stoic and mostly quite serious affair.
For the millions of people turning out to vote, though, it can be just plain dull – which is why many find ways to liven it up a little.
Naturally, many voters hitting polling places across the country today will sample a staple of Australians elections: the democracy sausage.
The tubular piece of meat of sometimes questionable provenance, slathered in onions, tomato sauce, and mustard, is, of course, a must for punters.
Voters were seen scoffing their sausages at the Museum of Australian Democracy At Old Parliament House in Canberra; more still in Albanese’s suburb of Marrickville.
For others, it can be their furry companions that liven up the rather dreary affair of exercising their right to vote.
The Prime Minister’s own pooch, Toto, is expected to make a showing today at the polls.
Of course, Saturday is also the last chance for political hopefuls to make their voices heard.
Polling places across the country were plastered with messaging of all sorts, splayed across school fences or placed outside community centres.
Volunteers were also seen putting their own bodies on the line for the sake of political messaging, with shirts, hats, and even painted nails brandishing their hopeful’s brand.
Election D-Day for Albanese, Dutton
Australians will head to the polls on Saturday, after an election campaign that officially only lasted 35 days, but that has dominated headlines for months.
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton will be out and about on Saturday morning, with the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader both expected to make appearances in Melbourne before heading home to cast their votes.
As of Friday evening, 6.73 million people had already cast their vote at a pre-poll centre, while 1.6 million postal vote forms had been sent and received by the Australian Electoral Commission.
For reference, there are 18.1 million people enrolled to vote in Australia.
Regardless of the result, Saturday will be a historic election for the nation. If Mr Albanese is awarded a second term as Prime Minister, he will be the first to do so since John Howard in 2004.
If the Coalition take victory, installing Mr Dutton as the nation’s next leader, it will be the first time a first-term government has been booted out of office since 1931.
Both leaders have spent their final days on the campaign trail declaring they are in with a shot at winning, however the latest Newspoll, published by the Australian on Friday night, revealed Anthony Albanese is on track to return Labor to a second term in government.
The closely watched poll, taken from surveys conducted between April 27 and May 1, showed Labor ahead of the Coalition 52.5 per cent to 47.5 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
Labor’s primary vote sits at 33 per cent, just a slight uptick from its 2022 performance, while the Coalition’s primary vote has slumped to 34 per cent, a record low.
Polls will close at 6pm, with vote counting to begin immediately after.
PM shores up support in critical seat
Mr Albanese has arrived at his first voting booth in the critical suburban Melbourne seat of Menzies.
The blue ribbon electorate is currently held by Keith Wolahan, however was made notionally Labor (0.4 per cent) following the redistribution.
Mr Albanese – along with his fiancee Jodie Haydon and Menzies candidate Gabriel Ng – arrived to a warm but calm reception, with one young girl offering the Prime Minister her bee plush toy named ‘Buzzy Bee’.
Mr Albanese thanked the young girl, gave the bee a cuddle and posed for a few photos.
While the visit only lasted about five minutes, he shook hands with Labor and Liberal volunteers alike, telling one man in a blue shirt: “Thanks for participating in democracy”.
As Mr Albanese was departing, he gave Mr Ng a hug and said: “I’ll see you in caucus”.
One last go for Dutton at the bowser
Peter Dutton has made what will presumably be his final visit of the campaign to a petrol station, this time alongside Liberal bulldog James Paterson in the electorate of Gorton.
The Opposition Leader has made what will now be, by our count, 17 trips to petrol stations across the country throughout the campaign, touting plans to temporarily cut the fuel excise.
Mr Dutton was seen shaking hands with people at the service station.
It comes after an earlier visit just last night to a service station in Perth.
The somewhat bizarre tactic has been a staple of Mr Dutton’s election campaign, and has seen him visiting service stations alongside candidates from across the country.
The Coalition says plans to slash the fuel excise for 12 months will deliver immediate cost of relief to families. Labor says it will be short-lived, and not deliver longer-term benefits.
Reports of queue times ballooning to 90 minutes
Aussies eager to cast their votes are facing blown out wait times of up to an hour and a half.
Voters in the docklands near Melbourne’s CBD are waiting up to an hour-and-a-half at The District shopping centre on Saturday morning, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
Older voters and those with access issues are reportedly able to jump the queue and go straight to the front at the polling booth.
Lord Mayor Nick Reece earlier called a lack of pre-polling stations in the CBD a “baffling decision” that “goes against our democratic ethos”, as reported by The Age, with only one opened in North Melbourne just outside the city.
The lengthy wait times follow a record number of people voting early in the lead-up to election day.
It is understood a large queue before doors had opened may be behind the long wait times, and that the queue was moving as of about 10.20am.
MP’s mum slashed from Libs on election eve
Independent Calare MP Andrew Gee has accused the Liberal Party of dumping his elderly mother from the party after she was spotted assisting her son at a polling booth in Orange.
The former Nationals MP took to Facebook on Friday night, only hours before polls opened, to accuse the Liberal Party of expelling his mother, aged in her 80s, in a letter dated May 2.
“Today, my mum was expelled from the Liberal Party for helping me out on a polling booth in Orange. They sent her a letter after somebody took a photo and sent it to them,” he said.
“They have a general election tomorrow and they have time to send my mum (who is in her eighties) an expulsion letter. Wow. You can’t make it up”.
In the letter, which Mr Gee attached to the post, it stated the party had informed “Mrs Gee” of her expulsion from the NSW Division of the Liberal Party pursuant to the Constitution.
As for the reasons, state director Chris Stone, who signed the letter, stated: “I have been made aware of your public support and assistance of the independent candidate for the House of Representatives Electoral District of Calare, Andrew Gee, against the endorsed candidate for the Nationals – NSW, the Division’s Coalition partner.”
A photo of Mrs Gee was attached to the letter, with Mr Stone stating the conduct was likely to “result in damage to the reputation of the Division or the Organisation”, as well as cause embarrassment and “reduce the Division’s or Organisation’s prospects of success at the upcoming federal election”.
The letter went on to inform Mrs Gee she was no longer a Member of the Division, and had the right to appeal the decision with the state council.
Mr Gee was first elected to the seat of Calare in 2016 and represented the Nationals party until 2022, when he resigned over the party’s opposition to the Voice.
He has since stood as an independent.
Voting opens in marginal seat
Aussies are streaming into voting centres as they open their doors on Saturday morning, including in the marginal seat of Sturt in South Australia.
It is expected to be a close contest between incumbent Liberal James Stevens and his Labor opponent Claire Clutterham.
Voters chasing a traditional democracy sausage are also in luck, with the barbecue at the Glynde Lutheran Church already firing.
Politicians cast their votes
Treasurer Jim Chalmers was spotted – democracy sausage in hand – in his electorate of Rankin on Saturday morning.
Tomato sauce was Mr Chalmers’ condiment of choice at the sausage sizzle outside the Springwood Rd State School, where he seemed all smiles after heading into the polls.
MP Zoe Daniel also cast her vote early Saturday morning, arriving with her family at Hampton Primary School in Melbourne’s southeast.
Independent senator David Pocock also voted early on Saturday, boasting a large grin as he headed towards the entrance at the Charles Conder Primary School in Canberra.
‘It’s tough’: Albo’s election day message on Dutton
Anthony Albanese has called Peter Dutton a “good family man” with “very different views about this country”, as the leaders lay into each other one last time before polls open.
The Prime Minister was at the MCG in Melbourne on Saturday morning for “grand final day” – an analogy relied upon by both leaders – and is expected to later travel to Sydney.
Asked by Weekend Sunrise host Monique Wright to say “something nice about your opponent”, Mr Albanese said the Opposition Leader was “a good family man”.
“I get on very well with Kirilly. Kirilly has been by his side during the campaign as well. It’s tough on families … and Peter is clearly very close to his, and that’s a good thing.”
On the election, he added: “We don’t take this personally, but we have very different views about the country. We have different values and that comes out in an election campaign.
“But isn’t it good that in a democracy tonight, whoever wins, the person conceding will make a phone call and we’ll have a peaceful transition? That doesn’t happen in every country.
“That’s something that Australians should be really proud of. We are a strong democracy.”
Mr Albanese spruiked the role of women in his cabinet during the interview, as well as his government’s success in bringing down inflation and boasting a “strong economic outlook”.
A staple of the campaign, he also touted the opening of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics and free TAFE studies for 600,000 people, saying “that’s six MCGs (of people) who have free TAFE”.
“Today is grand final day. We’re into time on and I’ve left nothing on the field. And I’ll leave nothing on the field over the next three years if I’m re-elected as Prime Minister,” he said.
Mr Albanese said he would be joined in his inner-west Sydney suburb of Marrickville on election night by fiance Jodie and son Nathan, who he thanked for joining on the campaign.
He said he would travel to a local venue once the result was known.
“That will either be a good night or a not so good night,” he laughed.
Mr Albanese’s beloved dog Toto is also expected to make an appearance.
For both leaders, Saturday marks the end of a gruelling five-week campaign.
‘One or two beers’: Dutton caps off gruelling campaign blitz
Peter Dutton said it had been a “hectic five weeks” on the election trail in his own appearance on Sunrise on Saturday morning.
“I’ve just been amazed by the stories and the number of people, just the amazing Australians that we’ve met over the last five weeks, which is really humbling,” Mr Dutton said.
“Some people in really difficult circumstances – who have got amazing stories to tell – and some people who are defending our country really just makes you feel very humble about being in this job, and having the opportunity to meet people who are just really inspiring.”
Mr Dutton thanked his wife Kirilly and his children for their support during the campaign.
“It’s been nice to travel with them because in the campaign you’re in a different hotel room every night for 35, 36 nights,” he said.
“It’s a long time to be away from home and you end up with sort of a couple of nights back
at home.
“So to have, you know, a cup of tea in the morning or a drink before you go to bed of a night time with one of your kids or with Kirilly, it’s, you know, that’s been really good.
Asked to also say something nice about his opponent in Anthony Albanese, Mr Dutton said he was leading one of the major parties in the country, which was no easy feat.
“He’s a great dad to his son Nathan as well. So at a personal level, I have no animosity at all, and we’ve spoken about the fact that we’re able to speak with each other cordially and deal with issues that are in the country’s best interests,” he said.
“But obviously, we’re fierce competitors on the field, and that’s where we’re at the moment.”
As for his election night plans, Mr Dutton predicted there would be a “beer or two”, especially after a “distorted first couple of hours” because of the significant number of people voting early.
“You don’t want to stumble up on stage,” he said.
“But, I think you can have a couple of beers and, you know, relax, once the polls close.
“It’s been a long, drawn-out contest. It’s worth fighting for because we live in the best country in the world. We’ve got a great policy offering and people will make that decision up today.”
Albo’s testy exchange on the Voice
Anthony Albanese appeared to get a little testy on election day morning, cutting off ABC host Dan Bourchier to “correct” him on a question about the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Mr Bourchier had been asking the Prime Minister, who is at the MCG on Saturday, about his commitment at the 2022 election to implementing the historic statement.
Cutting him off, Mr Albanese said: “No, Dan, I will correct you there. I will correct you there because you and I have discussed this issue many times.
“The idea that that came out on election night is, of course, absurd. That is just spin from the other side. I committed to that in the 2019 campaign,” he said.
“The entire time I was Opposition Leader. Every time I gave an acknowledgement of country … we put that to the Australian people and that was a missed opportunity.”
Asked if he still backed the Uluru statement and “other components Australians didn’t vote on being truth and treaty”, Mr Albanese said his government was focused on closing the gap.
“We will continue to engage with Indigenous people … we continue to address the fact that we have a real gap in this country in too many areas,” he said.
“It is a tragedy that a young Indigenous male is more likely to go to jail than to university. We need to do better. All governments have failed First Nations people to do as much as we should.”
Mr Albanese said his party respected the outcome of the failed referendum, but remained committed to practical reconciliation moving forward.
“I think it’s outrageous, frankly, that those opposite have tried to run a scare campaign on this during the election,” he said.
“It beggars belief, but then again, if you can walk out on an apology, as Peter Dutton did, then that says a lot about your character.”
Asked again if truth and treaty are “off the table”, Mr Albanese said “no”.
“What we are doing is working through practical reconciliation. You were there at Garma where I outlined what our agenda was. It is something we are continuing to do.
“A range of measures are being pursued, of course, by state governments, including South Australia. They have a Voice to their parliament, and my understanding is that is working well.”
An auspicious start to polling day
Anthony Albanese has started polling day with a symbolic start, doing a round of breakfast TV interviews at the iconic MCG.
The Prime Minister, a Hawthorn fan, is expected to run through the player’s race doors and onto the field.
We can expect a fair number of game day puns to be made.
Mr Albanese arrived at the MCG shortly before 7am.
He was asked how the Rabbitohs would feel about his AFL bent, to which he replied: “Origin is played here too”.
For those wondering, Mr Albanese’s beloved NRL team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, are also set to face off against the Newcastle Knights at 2pm.
A campaign throwback …
While the symbolism of ‘game day’ and ‘making the winning kick,’ the MCG visit is also an apt throwback to one of the campaign’s most memorable moments: when Peter Dutton accidentally bloodied a camera man while kicking an AFL ball with kids.
The week one blunder happened at Darwin’s Cazalys Oval, with Channel 10 cameraman Ghaith Nadir suffered a blow to his forehead after a ball kicked by the Opposition Leader collided with his camera’s viewfinder.
His viewfinder then made contact with his face and as they say … the rest is history.
More to come
Originally published as Federal Election 2025 live updates: Voters head to polls as Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton make final pitches
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