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Federal election 2016 live coverage

MOVE over Brexit, there are now calls for Queensland to ‘Quexit’ Australia after Pauline Hanson’s shock Senate success.

Matt Young, Charis Chang, Debra Killalea, Benedict Brook and wires
43 min read
July 4, 2016 - 6:27AM
Turnbull says he has 'every confidence of forming majority Government'

Welcome to our Election Day Blog.

AUSTRALIA is not likely to know the results of the election for some days to come. Australia is facing the prospect of a hung parliament or a narrow Coalition victory. With 96.94 per cent of the first preference vote counted, there has been a 3.22 per cent swing against the Coalition and towards Labor. Counting won’t resume until Tuesday.

4.15pm

Calls for Queensland to “Quexit” Federation following Hanson win

PAULINE Hanson is back and many Australians are far from happy with some even calling for the politician’s home state of Queensland to be booted out of the Commonwealth.

Almost 20 years after she left Parliament, and following no less than eight unsuccessful attempts to re-enter politics, Hanson has stormed into the Senate with her One Nation party predicted to take two of the seats allocated for Queenslanders.

But the renaissance of the right wing politician has appalled some with comedian Tom Ballard just one of many to call for a ‘Quexit’.

Similar to Brexit — the name given to Britain’s impending exit from the European Union — it would see Queensland and Australia go their separate ways, with Hanson, presumably, confined to the newly independent sunshine state.

“Now is a good time for Quexit as Hanson set to return to Parliament,” said Kevin Pyle on Twitter.

Also on social media, Tim Anger wrote. “I’m starting a push to have [Queensland] thrown out of the Federation. Call it Quexit if you like.”

A new map has of Australia has even emerged, with a rather large state in the north west corner missing.

Senate hopeful Pauline Hanson at her post election party, Booval near Ipswich, Queensland. Picture: Liam Kidston.
Senate hopeful Pauline Hanson at her post election party, Booval near Ipswich, Queensland. Picture: Liam Kidston.

3.15pm

Shorten says Turnbull is the election’s biggest “loser”

THERE were picturesque scenes this afternoon as an elated Bill Shorten appeared outside the Boathouse restaurant in Moonee Ponds in his Melbourne electorate of Maribyrnong, finally finished with campaigning and reunited with his family.

The Labor leader may not have a win and the downtime may not last long, but he’s certainly not feeling like a loser today, with a hung parliament still looking like a strong possibility after every poll picked the Coalition to win.

Mr Shorten arrived in the same spot where he picnicked with Annabel Crabb on Kitchen Cabinet last week, this time wife Chloe, stepchildren Rupert and Georgette and the couple’s daughter Clementine.

“Last night was an historic night. The Labor Party is most certainly back.” he told the media. “We’re not sure who has won. What I’m sure of is while we don’t know who the winner was there was clearly one loser and that was Malcolm Turnbull.”

Mr Shorten called it “ironic” that the Prime Minister had “delivered anything but a stable government,” despite his single-focus agenda.

The Labor leader said he had already been talking to crossbenchers and that the party was committed to making a parliament that worked.

“We will be constructive and we’ll work with people of goodwill in parliament,” he said.

Mr Shorten called for patience while the count was completed, which could take until the end of the week.

Responding to questions on Anthony Albanese’s reported leadership ambitions, Shorten said he only had “good things to say about all my colleagues, including Anthony”.

“I’ve got a great shadow cabinet, I wouldn’t swap a single one of my colleagues,” he said. “The Labor party is united.

“For myself, I’ve never been more confident of my leadership than I am this morning.”

He compared that to the Liberals, asking what Tony Abbott was doing today.

Mr Shorten was cheered by supporters in his local area as he wound up a long campaign. He pushed five-year-old Clementine on the swings before letting 15-year-old Rupert take over, and then helped her on the monkey bars alongside Georgette, 13, while Chloe and the children’s cousin Alexandra stood by.

They looked the perfect relaxed family portrait, with Mr Shorten going without a tie, Mrs Shorten in a pink coat, Georgette wearing a pleated long skirt and Rupert in a bomber jacket.

“The Australian people have spoken,” as Mr Shorten said today, and he’s just enjoying his moment.

- Emma Reynolds

Labor leader Bill Shorten arrives with his family for a press conference in Moonee Ponds on Sunday. Picture: David Crosling
Labor leader Bill Shorten arrives with his family for a press conference in Moonee Ponds on Sunday. Picture: David Crosling

2.15pm

Turnbull says he’s “quietly confident” of majority

Malcolm Turnbull is still doing his best to persuade us the up in the air election result is just a small bump in the road to victory.

Speaking on Sunday afternoon, Turnbull said he was “quietly confident that a majority Coalition Government will be returned at this election when the counting is completed.”

He also confirmed he’d had a busy morning talking the crossbenchers, whose support will be vital if a hung parliament emerges, and that he had no plans to bring Tony Abbott back onto the front bench.

More than one million postal and pre poll votes could determine the final results in as many as 12 electorates and these forms of voting “traditionally favour Liberal and National candidates,” he said this afternoon.

Turnbull seemed keen to give the impression he was looking forward to staying in place telling reporters, “The expectation is on all of us, especially me as Prime Minister, to get on with the job.”

Australians had an “appetite” for a less adversarial political culture, he said.

“They expect us to have a workable and effective parliament. My absolute focus as Prime Minister is on delivering for Australia the certainty, the stability, the leadership that they need and they expect form their Government and their parliament”.

Turnbull confirmed he had spoken to “many” of the crossbenchers. But not to canvass support, he insisted.

“What I have said to them is we remain confident we will be able to form a majority Government and in those circumstances we always seek to work constructively with all of the members of the Parliament.”

Asked if his predecessor Tony Abbot might make a return to a Turnbull ministry, he said the team “will be the same after the election as it is now.”

So, that’s a no to Tones? “I am not proposing to bring back any particular individuals,” he said.

A subdued Malcolm Turnbull speaks a press conference in Sydney on Sunday. Picture: AFP/WILLIAM WEST
A subdued Malcolm Turnbull speaks a press conference in Sydney on Sunday. Picture: AFP/WILLIAM WEST

12.30pm

Turnbull’s confidence slipping

Malcolm Turnbull has emerged after a horror election night, putting on a brave smile as he walked out of his Point Piper home. He didn’t stop to make any remarks to a waiting media pack as he hopped into his car on the way to the Liberal Party headquarters in the Sydney CBD.

Mr Turnbull’s confidence that he will form majority government may be slipping with the PM having spent the morning canvassing independent crossbenchers in the lower house, where he needs 76 seats to form government.

He has reportedly spoken to Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan, independents who were re-elected with swings towards them in their respective Tasmania and Victorian seats. Mr Wilkie told ABC24 his chat with Mr Turnbull contained “no remarkable substance”.

Mr Wilkie said: “It was ensuring that the channels of communication are open I took the opportunity to tell him of my election commitment to the community about no deals, and he was quite understanding about that.

“I think it’s fair enough [Mr Turnbull called] given the possibility of a power-sharing parliament. I think any prime minister would have done exactly the same, picked up the phone and wanted to ensure he or she had open channels of communication with the crossbench.”

Tight-lipped. Picture: AAP Image/David Moir
Tight-lipped. Picture: AAP Image/David Moir

12pm

Shorten enjoys cosy family breakfast at Grand Hyatt

Bill Shorten’s kids have arrived by car to join him for a cosy family breakfast at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, after eight weeks of intense campaigning kept him away from wife Chloe, her children Rupert and Georgette and their youngest, Clementine.

The long separation appeared to be particularly hard for the five-year-old, who jumped into his arms at every possible opportunity when she and the family attended events, including on Saturday night when he carried her out of the results party waving after a jubilant speech.

The Labor leader will be at the Boathouse in Moonee Ponds at 1pm to give a press conference in his electorate of Maribyrnong.

On Twitter, Mr Shorten sharted picture of his family at breakfast.

“After eight weeks on the road, great to have a late breakfast with the family,” he wrote.

— Emma Reynolds

11.32am

Glenn Lazarus concedes Senate battle

Former Palmer United Party member and rugby league legend Glenn Lazarus has conceded defeat in his attempt to retain his Senate seat in Queensland.

Mr Lazarus, who had a public falling out with former boss Clive Palmer before breaking off as an independent, wrote on Facebook this morning that its appears he has “not secured enough votes” to keep his seat.

Mr Lazarus was one of several crossbench Senators the Turnbull Government had hoped to flush out in a double dissolution election. When he was elected in 2013, he attracted almost 10 per cent of primary votes. In this election, he is currently sitting on 1.67 per cent of primary votes.

9.30am

Could Albo challenge for Labor leadership?

Anthony Albanese is mounting a challenge for the Labor leadership, according to party sources.

Sky News’ political commentator David Speers is reporting the member for Grayndler in Sydney’s inner west could make a tilt at overthrowing Bill Shorten.

Speers said senior figures from both sides of the party want Albanese to run. The ever-popular Labor veteran spent Saturday celebrating with his electorate. How did he celebrate? With a lot of dad dancing.

Journalist Laura Tingle told the ABC’s Insiders program Shorten had taken the Labor party further than many throught but it might not be enough.

“The question will be, will Anthony Albanese stand?” she said.

“(It) will be a fascinating one, because you don’t want to look like you are doing over somebody who has got you as far as you have, but the question will be for the party room, as opposed to the rank and file — will Bill Shorten be able to get us further? Would we have got further with somebody else?”

9am

Frontbencher declares it’s “quite possible” Labor can form government

Labor’s immigration spokesman Richard Marles says he hasn’t given up on the idea of Labor forming government, despite experts claiming such a result is almost impossible.

“It is quite possible that Labor forms government after this, but there is obviously a lot of water to go under the bridge,” he told Sky News on Sunday morning.

Labor and the Coalition have each won 67 seats, according to pre-poll vote counting. The Greens have claimed one, independents have claimed four and there are 11 seats where it’s too close to call.

8.20am

Newspaper front pages say it all

Major newspapers around Australia went to print with early editions well before counting stopped at 2am. The results make for interesting reading.

The Sunday Mail ran the headline “Split Down The Middle” with a picture of Bill Shorten’s unorthodox sausage eating technique.

<i>The Sunday Mail</i>.
The Sunday Mail.

Headlines everywhere told the same story. “Hung, Drawn & Not Sorted” was splashed across the front of The Sunday Mail’s later edition.

The Daily Telegraph ran with the headline “Hungover” and The Sydney Morning Herald read simply “Knife-edge”. Melbourne’s Sunday Age reported the result was “Hanging In The Balance”.

7am

Where do we go from here?

Well, we wait. And speculate. There are two main scenarios that could play out in the coming days.

The first is that the Coalition wins the nine seats required to form a majority government. The second is that Labor picks up a number of “in doubt” seats and Australia has another hung parliament.

The ABC’s Antony Green says a Labor majority government is not a possibility despite them being ahead in six of 11 seats still undecided.

Less than 80 per cent of the vote has been counted so far. The count will resume on Tuesday, including absentee and postal votes.

Green said the process could be “long and tedious” and could be dragged out further by legal challenges.

A hung parliament last happened in 2010 when crossbenchers Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and Adam Bandt helped a Julia Gillard-led Labor party form government. Before that, the last hung parliament was in 1940.

6.30am

Australians wake to uncertainty, more waiting

It could be several days before Australians know the result of an extraordinary election, with counting not set to resume until Tuesday.

Malcolm Turnbull expects to be able to form a majority government but acknowledged in Saturday night’s speech that: “We will have to wait a few days” before popping the champagne corks.

“The final results, in terms of seats, may not be known until then, so we will have to wait a few days,” Mr Turnbull said.

Labor believes a hung parliament is still possible after Saturday’s election count. Regardless, Bill Shorten says the swing towards his party is a clear sign the Coalition has lost its mandate.

As of 2am this morning, the ABC’s Antony Green had the government and opposition each on 67 seats with five seats for minor parties and independents and 11 seats still undecided.

They are Capricornia, Chisolm, Cowan, Dickson, Dunkley, Forde, Gilmore, Herbert, Hindmarsh, La Trobe and Petrie.

The Liberal party is ahead in Dickson, Dunkley, Gilmore, La Trobe and Petrie. Labor leads in Capricornia, Chisolm, Cowan, Forde, Herbert and Hindmarsh.

1.30am

After a long night, here's where the votes are at

With 96.94 per cent of the first preference vote counted, there has been a 3.22 per cent swing against the Coalition in the two-party preferred count, according to the Australian Electoral Commission.

The Coalition is sitting on 50.04 per cent of the two-party preferred vote, compared to 49.96 per cent for Labor.

At 1:43am AEST, there were just 8124 votes separating the two major parties. The Coalition was leading with 4,929,311 votes, compared to Labor’s 4,921,187.

According to the ABC, there are 11 seats that could decide the election result. The ABC is projecting the Coalition and Labor have both won 67 seats. The Greens are expected to retain one seat, the Nick Xenophon Team will pick up one seat and three independents are likely to be elected.

Independent Andrew Wilkie has been re-elected in Denison, Cathy McGowan retained her seat of Indi against the Liberal candidate Sophie Mirabella and Bob Katter will also be back.

The winning party needs 76 seats in the House of Representatives to form government.

There are 11 seats in doubt.

1.10am

PM’s party ‘flat and everyone has all but cleared out'

It was expected to be a scene of celebrations, but just minutes after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull delivered his election night speech, the prestigious Perth room of Sydney’s Sofitel Wentworth hotel has all but cleared out.

There are hangers on draining their last glasses of champagne, waitresses wandering around almost aimlessly with very few patrons around to relieve their trays of drinks, and guests with phones in hand ordering Ubers.

The mood is flat and the floor is practically empty.

In contrast, it’s been a more exciting than expected evening for media covering the event who expected the result to be straightforward and without controversy.

“I’d never in my wildest dreams thought that was it,” an otherwise disillusioned member of the press pack says.

“That was exciting wasn’t it,” says another.

Though the mood is sombre now, anyone who stumbled into this function room about half an hour ago would have thought they had walked in on a massive victory party.

The defiant Prime Minister sounded confident declaring he could form a majority government, and even more so criticising Labor’s “campaign of lies”.

After his enthusiastic speech, Mr Turnbull and wife Lucy were whisked of to a neighbouring function room, along with other VIPs like former PM John Howard.

It’s unclear what Mr Turnbull has planned for the next couple of days, but he’s declared the election “over”, with counting to resume on Tuesday.

The party’s over for tonight at least, but we still have a long way to go.

- Liz Burke

12.45pm

Malcolm Turnbull cops the nastiest criticism

On top of Mike Carlton's angry tweet, Channel Nine political commentator Laurie Oakes described Mr Turnbull’s speech as “pathetic”.

“Look, it is the first first time that I have seen a bloke who has won the election give a speech saying that we were robbed,” Mr Oakes said.

“I thought that was pretty pathetic. It was an angry speech from a guy two days ago promised a different kind of politics because Australians were sick of this stuff.

“I thought that was not a very good performance and disappointed in Malcolm Turnbull. Bill Shorten was not gracious to his opponent, neither was Malcolm Turnbull. “

12.30am

Turnbull says “we can form government”

A defiant Malcolm Turnbull has declared that he will be able to form majority government.

Turnbull claimed victory despite a crushing swing against him in the election, lashing out at “an extraordinary act of dishonesty”.

“I can report that based on the advice I have from the party officials we can have every confidence that we will form a Coalition majority government in the next parliament,” he told a group of supporters at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth hotel.

But despite being defiant, he conceded it was a “very, very close count. It is a very close count, as you know”.

He confirmed nearly 30 per cent of the votes were yet to be counted. The pre-poll will continue to be counted until 2:00 a.m but the final results in terms of seats may not be known until Tuesday.

“We will have to wait a few days.”

Mr Turnbull said he expected a criminal investigation to be launched into the dirtiest aspect of Labor’s campaign.

“Today, as voters went to the polls, as you would have seen in the press, there were text messages being sent to thousands of people across Australia saying that Medicare was about to be privatised by the Liberal Party,” the PM said.

“The SMS message said it came from Medicare - an extraordinary act of dishonesty. No doubt the police will investigate. But this is, but this is the scale of the challenge we faced. And regrettably more than a few people were misled ... But the circumstances of Australia cannot be changed by a lying campaign from the Labor Party.”

He pointed out that Labor had had “the second lowest primary vote in its history” and thus “no capacity in this parliament to form a stable majority government”.

Mr Turnbull thanked “the millions of Australians who have placed their trust in us, in our party, in our policies, in our candidates” along with all the Liberal candidates, volunteers, supporters and families.

“Now, I want to also address a matter that I know has been raised earlier today or this evening about the calling of the double-dissolution election,” Mr Turnbull said.

“Let me remind everybody of why that occurred. That was not a political tactic. It was not designed to remove senators or get a new Senate, because new senators are better than old senators or whatever.

“It was simply this: We need to restore the rule of law to the construction industry ... For those that say we shouldn’t have called a double-dissolution election, who are saying we should have just let the CFMEU with get on with doing what they like ... That is not in Australia’s interests. It’s not right. It’s weak. We have to stand up for what is right, to restore the rule of law in an industry that employs over a million Australians.”

Mr Turnbull concluded that while the final result “will depend on the counting”, the Coalition was prepared to lead the nation through another term of government.

“We have that plan and we will in Government be seeking the support of all Australians, all members of the parliament, to the program that alone can deliver us success in the years ahead.”

12.20am

Australia isn’t happy with Malcolm Turnbull

Patience was growing thin as Australia waited for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to deliver a speech, and as the clock struck past midnight, Maxine McKew, sitting in Channel Nine’s co-hosting election desk, gave him a piece of her mind, on behalf of the country.

“I think it is a disgrace, it is 20 past 12, what is he doing? This is insulting,” she said as she pointed to her watch.

“He should have been with his troops, he could have been in a private room at the hotel and all his supporters there. This could have been handled an hour ago.”

Lisa Wilkinson joined in, asking: “Can you tell him that Australia is waiting for him?”

Hear, hear.

11.40pm

Meanwhile, at a Liberal party function...

11.35pm

Bill Shorten claims ‘Labor is back’

Bill Shorten has addressed a jubilant crowd tonight at the Labor results party at Moonee Valley Racing Club.

He said the Labor party may not have formed government but “Mr Turnbull’s economic mandate has been rejected by the people of Australia”.

There were huge cheers as he said Australians had refused to adopt his rival’s “ideological agenda” and Mr Turnbull had failed to deliver the stability he promised.

“From government or in opposition, we will save Medicare,” he shouted to wild cheers of his name, including from his wife Chloe and their three children Rupert, 13, Georgette, 12, and Clementine, 5, on stage, along with their cousin Alexandra.

“I wish in particular to acknowledge my friend and deputy leader Tanya Plibersek,” he added, after some questioned her loyalty following an awkward Sky News interview earlier this evening.

He thanked his entire cabinet and “you, the mighty trade union of Australia” for solidarity and hard work.

“My success is their success, thank you very much to the team travelling with me, and of course the Bill bus.

“No one can serve in politics without the love and support of their families.

“Chloe, wherever you went in this campaign, you brought the sunshine with you.”

The crowd chanted Chloe’s name this time.

“It is time for our party to get back to work,” Mr Shorten said.

“Labor ran for government as a strong and united team.

“Tonight we stand by our program, our mandate.”

He listed jobs, penalty rates, Gonski, the National Broadband Network, affordable housing and action on climate change.

“We live in a remarkable and gifted country,” he said.

He called Labor “the party of all Australians”.

“We are the nation who love each other and deserve to get married. We are the party for women seeking equal opportunity at work.

“Labor will not leave you behind we will not let you down.

“We are the party for all who serve, all who strive.”

He then left the room with daughter Clementine in his arms and waved goodbye as the doors shut.

- Emma Reynolds

11.30pm

#Australia

This face pretty much sums up the mood in the Liberal Party right now.

Former Australian prime minister John Howard turns away after speaking to the media after he arrived to a post election Liberal Party event in Sydney. Picture: David Moir
Former Australian prime minister John Howard turns away after speaking to the media after he arrived to a post election Liberal Party event in Sydney. Picture: David Moir

11.15pm

Shift in mood at Coalition results party

News.com.au reporter Liz Burke reports that the mood has clearly shifted from hopeful to cautious at the Coalition’s election function at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.

“Guests remain either huddled around TVs showing results or chatting among themselves towards the outside edges of the room,” she reports.

“This doesn’t seem like a celebration.”

11.00pm

Jacqui Lambie grills Julie Bishop in tense interview

If you look close enough, you can see Julie Bishop’s eye twitch.

It was a tough interview for Bishop when she appeared on Channel Seven’s election coverage after the Foreign Minister was questioned by none other than Jacqui Lambie.

“You’re going out there today blaming Labor about the Medicare,” Lambie began.

“You can’t put this on freeze any longer. Maybe, Julie, it’s about time Liberal was big enough to look at themselves in the mirror, ’cause look at all the lies that’s been going on the last two years, there’s been a lot.

“Instead of the blame game, it is time the iberal Party had a good look at itself.

Bishop countered Lambie’s argument claiming she was “very proud” of the campaign Malcolm Turnbull ran, and that “it wasn’t based on a lie”.

“I’m very pleased that we’ve maintained integrity in our campaign.”

Lambie ended on a zinger.

“It's a shame our integrity wasn’t in the same ballpark ‘cause obviously we’re not in the same one”. Ouch.

10.50pm

John Howard ‘grieves’ for lost members

Former Liberal prime minister John Howard has given a subdued speech as he entered the Coalition’s official election function.

The event was designed to be a celebration of a return of the Turnbull government, but with a result increasingly uncertain, the mood has taken a cautious turn.

Mr Howard received cheers as he arrived at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth with wife Janette.

Asked immediately his thoughts on the count, he told waiting media it wasn’t his place to comment.

“It is for the Prime Minister to comment on the overall outcome,” he said.

“What I want to say is that he fought a very strong, clear campaign and I congratulate him for that.”

Mr Howard spent most of his short speech sharing commiserations for mates who’d lost seats tonight.

“It looks as though a number of people I know very well have lost and I grieve for them,” he said.

Mr Howard also sent his very best to those who were “hanging on”, referring to the result as a “wafer-thin outcome”.

“I wish them all the very best,” he said.

- Liz Burke

10.30pm

Andrew Bolt blasts Turnbull, drops ‘bombshell'

Sky News commentator Andrew Bolt has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, calling for him to resign after a disappointing loss of seats for the Liberal party.

“This is a disgrace. The man should resign,” he said live on air.

Bolt described how Mr Turnbull “assasinated” former prime minister Tony Abbott and called for the ousted politician to be reinstated as PM after the Liberal Party “drags” Turnbull “out by his heels”.

“You think the Liberals will say, ‘Fine, that’s just great, we’re happy with what you’ve done?’

“There is no one that can seriously argue that Tony Abbott wouldn’t have done better.

“I don’t think this man [Turnbull] can last three years. It’s a joke. He will be out. He will be dragged out by his heels.

“If he wants to avoid the bloodletting that’s coming his way he should move on.

“Malcolm Turnbull’s big 10-year plan is in tatters.

“He has no authority, no mandate and no populairty, I can’t see how he could survive.”

Bolt’s rant is likely to hurt Turnbull, coming as it does from such an influential conservative commentator.

However, broadcaster Alan Jones said he didn’t think the party should be considering a change of leader. “I hope there’s not another challenge,” he said, adding people had had enough.

While he said the result probably indicated Mr Turnbull needed to consult more, he said the campaign probably didn’t play to Mr Turnbull’s strengths.

When Mr Abbott’s former chief of staff Peta Credlin was asked about Bolt’s comments that Mr Turnbull should resign, she said: “I wouldn’t go that far”.

10.00pm

“No election result tonight”

ABC election analyst Antony Green says Australia won’t know the poll result on Saturday night.

Green said Labor would not hold more than 70 seats and the coalition could fall short of a majority by one seat, holding 75.

“I’m saying we won’t know the result tonight,” he told ABC TV.

9.50pm

‘Pauline was all over you like a cheap suit’

Channel 9 host Karl Stefanovic has had some fun at his co-host’s expense after a flare-up between Lisa Wilkinson and Pauline Hanson live on air.

The One Nation leader looks set to pick up one or two Queensland Senate seats after tonight’s poll.

Discussing her victory on the station, Wilkinson asked Hanson: “While you have been in the political wilderness, have you learnt any lessons and will you do anything different this time around?”

Hanson evidently mistook the word “lessons” for “listen”, which led to a terse exchange.

“You have got to be kidding. Hold on a minute. Has the Liberal, Labor or Greens learnt anything? Start listening to grassroots Australians. I don’t need to listen to anything,” Hanson said with a raised voice.

“I know what the people are thinking and how they are feeling. So let’s get this country on track.”

After the interview, Wilkinson insisted: “I said ‘lessons’, not ‘listen’. I said ‘lesson’.”

Stefanovic couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

“She learned you. Pauline is all over you. Pauline is all over you like a cheap suit,” Karl joked.

“She misheard me but that’s OK,” Wilkinson said.

“No, she didn’t. She heard you good an proper,” Karl replied.

I have been told,” Wilkinson said, with a grin.

9.40pm

Plibersek question Turnbull’s leadership: “Can he hold on?”

Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership is in peril.

“I think the real question tonight is for Malcolm Turnbull - can he remain leader with the loss of so many seats? That's the real question for tonight,” she told the Nine Network.

Bill Shorten had led a “great campaign”, she said.

9.20pm

TV snap ends with a ‘talk to the hand’

Amanda Vanstone has snubbed Maxine McKew in a protest on Channel Nine’s election coverage.

The panel, including Today hosts Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic, had just finished a live cross with Nine News presenter Peter Overton when the panel engaged in a debate about the national deficit.

After McKew raised concerns over the Budget, Vanstone wanted to have her say.

Unfortunately, McKew interrupted her.

“But why did -” McKew said.

“No, don’t go there. I didn’t interrupt you. Talk to the hand. The face does not listen,” Vanstone replied.

“To be fair, I didn’t interrupt you.”

9.00pm

Abbott says Coalition returned

Former prime minister Tony Abbott says the coalition government has been returned.

Mr Abbott has won his Sydney seat of Warringah despite a 9.4 per cent swing against him.

“There’ll be a strong coalition government in Canberra that can work with a great coalition government in Macquarie Street,” Mr Abbott told supporters.

8.45pm

The seat count

COALITION 58. LABOR 59. GREENS 1. INDEPENDENT 4. NOT DETERMINED 28. TWO-PARTY PREFERRED VOTE (3.8 million votes counted) COALITION 50.2pct LABOR 49.8pct 3pc swing against the Coalition.

(Source: Australian Electoral Commission.)

8.30pm

Hanson hopeful of two Senate seats

Pauline Hanson is confident of picking up not one, but two Senate seats in Queensland.

The serial right-wing candidate, whose only successful campaign saw her win the lower house seat of Oxley in 1996, says she was buoyed by support at polling booths on Saturday, where voters were readily taking her how-to-vote cards.

“It was very supportive and I’m getting word back from a lot of people across the state,” she said after arriving at a small election-night function at a pub in Ipswich, west of Brisbane.

Ms Hanson believed voters saw her as “a true blue Aussie” with the courage to say what many were thinking.

She said she felt “very upbeat” about the party’s chances, including picking up a second Senate seat.

Former Liberal treasurer Peter Costello said on Nine that the strength of the One Nation primary vote in lower house seats across Queensland showed she was likely to win her Senate seat.

Ms Hanson has become a divisive figure largely due to her immigration policies and calls for a royal commission into Islam. She has repeatedly run for state and federal elections since her defeat in 1998, but political commentators say she has her best chance yet in the 2016 election courtesy of changes to voting laws and the double dissolution election.

“I think I will be very proud if I can do it but no one can take away from me how proud I was to win the seat of Oxley in 1996 against the major political parties,” she said.

“This will be up there very high beside it.”

Ms Hanson also reaffirmed a commitment to work with all parties on the floor of parliament despite comments from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that she was unwelcome in Australian politics. “

“It’s water off a duck’s back,” she said. “I’ve had more said to me over the years.”

— Jamie McKinnell, AAP

8:11pm

Coalition polls well in Senate

The Coalition is polling strongly in initial Senate vote counting.

At 7.45pm (AEST) the Liberal-Nationals were on track to win six seats in NSW, six in Victoria, five in Queensland, one in ACT and four in Tasmania.

Labor appeared set to hold two in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, three in Tasmania and one in the ACT.

The Greens were polling strongest in Tasmania, followed by NSW and ACT but did not yet have a quota for a seat.

One Nation was the strongest-polling micro-party, fractionally short of a quota in NSW but holding two quotas in Queensland, which would propel Pauline Hanson and a running mate into the Senate.

8:10pm

Voting booths across Australia have now closed

Western Australia was the final state to finish polling at 6pm local time (2000 AEST).

Counting has been under way across the eastern states for two hours, with the result so far extremely tight.

According to the Australian Electoral Commission, there’s been a swing of about 3 per cent against the Coalition.

At 8pm (AEST), the Coalition government and Labor opposition had secured 55 seats each.

At least 76 seats are needed to form a majority government.

Labor has claimed seats such as Barton in Sydney, and the bellwether seat of Eden-Monaro in southern NSW.

The Nick Xenophon Team’s Rebekah Sharkie looks like ousting former minister Jamie Briggs from the blue-ribbon Liberal seat of Mayo in Adelaide.

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanase says the party is doing well in Tasmania, particularly in Bass and Lyons.

“I think I’d rather be us than them,” he said.

Earlier, former Labor leader Kim Beazley said he didn’t expect West Australians to be a happy hunting ground for Labor, which holds only three of the 15 lower house seats.

“Western Australians differentiate heavily between federal and state governments … they certainly know the difference between Turnbull and Barnett,” he said.

8.00pm

Anthony Albanese wins seat of Grayndler

Labor is claiming a win for Anthony Albanese in his Sydney seat of Grayndler.

“I’d like to say thank you to all my voters and anyone who’s said anything nice about me,” he said during an appearance on Network Nine.

7.52pm

Senior Lib declares Mayo lost to Xenophon

Former Liberal frontbencher Jamie Briggs looks to have lost his Adelaide Hills seat of Mayo to the Nick Xenophon Team.

“Unfortunately that seat has been lost,” Liberal Party Victorian president Michael Kroger told Sky News on Saturday night.

Senior Liberal minister George Brandis also conceded it “looks very difficult” for Mr Briggs at this point in the federal election count.

Mr Briggs, who was heckled by a voter as he cast his ballot on Saturday, stepped down from the Turnbull ministry in 2015 following an incident with a public servant in a Hong Kong bar.

7.50pm

Big swing to Labor expected in WA

West Australians won’t punish Malcolm Turnbull for the perceived failings of Liberal premier Colin Barnett, Labor elder statesman Kim Beazley says.

Western Australia is a Liberal stronghold federally. Labor holds only three seats of the 15 lower house seats and three of the 10 Senate seats.

Mr Beazley, the former Labor leader who held Perth-based seats, said WA was not a natural home for the ALP, with only 22 per cent considering themselves working class.

“There is no basis for a safe Labor seat in Western Australia anywhere and there hasn’t been for a very lengthy period of time,” he told the Nine Network.

7:40pm

Burney declares Labor win in Barton

Labor’s Linda Burney is packing her bags for Canberra, declaring she’s won the south Sydney seat of Barton.

“I feel a little overwhelmed,” she told Channel Nine.

“I have around me the extraordinary volunteers, we had two, three hundred people out today. We have worked for eight weeks, 17 hours a day. I can safely say that Barton is back in the fold of the Labor Party today right here and right now”.

The seat was won by the coalition in the 2013 election but became a notional Labor seat after a redistribution of boundaries.

7.30pm

Who will run the country?

So far only 14 per cent of polling places have counted first preferences and there is a 2.19 per cent swing against the coalition in the two party preferred count, according to the AEC.

It is predicting 54 seats going to the coalition, 33 to Labor, three to independents and 60 undetermined.

Follow the live seat result here.

7.25pm

Polling booths running out of ballot papers

Voters have reportedly been turned away from Queensland polling booths at Coombabah and Runaway Bay.

The Gold Coast Bulletin has been told voters are being turned away from both polling booths, with reports they had run out of ballot sheets shortly before 5pm.

Do you know more? Email charis.chang@news.com.au

7.15pm

Early results are coming in

It's still early but there are some results coming through.

At this stage the ABC is predicting the coalition will win 45 seats, Labor to win 25 and three seats to go to the independents or micro parties. It has not called any seats yet, and there are 77 seats too hard to predict.

To follow our live coverage, click here.

7:10pm

Australians in a tight jam

Australians across the country have found themselves in a tight jam - with the senate ballot paper and its incredibly tight box.

“I scrunched mine in the end and just jammed it in there, it was really tough,” Ross Greenwood said on Channel Nine tonight.

And he’s not the only one...

6.40pm

Seven exit poll predicts coalition win

A national poll of more than 3000 voters predicts the coalition maintaining its 51 — 49 lead over Labor.

The 7News ReachTEL exit poll surveyed 3075 residents across Australia during this afternoon after polling. Results were weighted by gender and age to reflect the population according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

6.20pm

The scene at Turnbull’s election party

Right now there are just two lonely flags standing either side of a podium and some dazed looking journalists milling about.

But the small function room in the Sofitel hotel in Sydney’s CBD is expected to fill up later this evening and house the biggest celebration in the country tonight — or commiserations if that’s how things turn out.

This is where Malcolm Turnbull will address the most devoted of Liberal Party supporters after the votes are in tonight.

It’s a slightly smaller venue to where his predecessor Tony Abbott celebrated his 2013 victory just down the road at the Four Seasons.

Media have just begun to set up makeshift TV studios at the back of the room and photographers and camera operators are competing for space to set up their tripods.

Guests are expected to start arriving around 7.30 tonight, but we’re not expecting to see Mr Turnbull until there’s a sign of a result later this evening.

— Liz Burke

6.10pm

Overheard in the polling booth

Australians have shared what they overheard at the polling booths today and the results are both funny, sad and terrifying.

Click here to read our story.

5.50pm

Officials underestimated voter numbers

An update on the long voter wait at Moonee Ponds West. A political insider has told news.com.au that the AEC bungled the polling booth planning in Maribyrnong by underestimating numbers that would turn up at the primary school after quiet pre-polling.

5.46pm

Parties lashed for ignoring young people

With a tight election result expected tonight, former Victorian Liberal premier Jeff Kennett has taken aim at both major parties for neglecting a key group of constituents: young people.

“I thought the Coalition was going to win this quite comfortably but, having been on a booth today, I was surprised how many young people in particular took the Greens’ card in a safe Liberal seat,” Mr Kennett said during a panel discussion on Channel 7.

“I really think, in this campaign, I’m not sure that either party has actually addressed the youth of the country, which I think explains partly why people are looking for an alternative choice and have gone away in both the major parties.

“So that very large independent or Xenaphon or Greens vote will determine the election. I can’t see Labor getting 21 seats, that is impossible. The question is, do they get close. I’m still comfortable the Coalition will win.”

— Dana McCauley

5.45pm

‘It’s a major stuff-up’

An LNP booth worker said voters were ‘going nuts’ after being turned away at the Coombabah and Runaway Bay booths in the northern Gold Coast seat of Fadden.

“It’s a major stuff-up by the AEC (Australian Electoral Commission),” the official told Quest community papers.

“The booths have effectively closed an hour early and voters are being re-directed to other booths.

“That’s only going to put added pressure on those booths in the last hour of voting.

“They too could potentially run out of ballot papers.”

5.20pm

Exit polls showing mixed results

Voting is not over yet but results from a few exit polls are emerging.

The Sky News Exit Poll on Saturday reveals 62 per cent of voters believe the coalition will win, including 39 per cent of Labor voters.

But health and Medicare was the most important issue for 72 per cent of voters, followed by education with 63 per cent of voters — both key cornerstones of Labor’s campaign.

Meanwhile a Galaxy Research exit poll of 25 marginals seats, conducted for the Nine Network, shows the election is too close to call.

The poll shows there’s a swing to Labor of 3.4 per cent, which would give them 68 seats — short of the 76 needed to form a majority government.

Across the marginals, the coalition is polling around 43 per cent, Labor 36 per cents, with the Greens on nine per cent.

5.10pm

Less than an hour to go

Polling booths close at 6pm and the Australian Electoral Commission have reassured voters that if they are in the queue at 6pm, they will be able to vote.

4.50pm

Shorten not the only one who wanted to skip the queues

Whether it was the changes to the Senate voting system or people just wanting to take time over their vote, those at the Moonee Ponds West Primary School were not the only ones who experienced long waits this year.

Voters were even given chairs to sit on at Riverwood Public School in Sydney’s south, according to the Canterbury-Bankstown Express.

4.30pm

Shorten skips huge queue to cast his vote

Bill Shorten arrived at Moonee Ponds West Primary school in his electorate of Maribrynong to an epic queue of more than 100 people.

Voters are continuing to arrive in a steady stream at the school with fears growing at the polling booth that they might not get everyone through the door by 6pm.

“Maybe it’s the Bill Shorten effect,” one volunteer said, estimating the queue was at least 45 minutes long. She noted a nearby polling booth of previous years was also closed this time.

At one point the booth ran out of Melbourne ballot papers.

One voter was heard shouting, “This is bulls***!” at volunteers at the front on the queue when he saw the line. He said if he had known in advance he could have gone elsewhere.

Staff said there were other booths “one or two kilometres away” and easily accessible “if you have wheels”.

But although they discussed it, no announcement had been made as Mr Shorten left.

Mr Shorten queued for a short time but was then hurried to the front as time wore on.

He was joined by wife Chloe, their five-year-old daughter Clementine and Mrs Shorten’s son from her first marriage, 13-year-old Rupert.

The Labor leader was in no hurry to get through the queue, asking for voting cards to hand out, posing for selfies, introducing his daughter to a cute dog and chatting to voters in the ALP stronghold.

“I’ll have to vote Labor now,” said one young man.

Mr and Mrs Shorten greeted friends and neighbour Stan before enjoying a reviving coffee ahead of a long night. The Labor leader then headed inside to cast his vote.

Asked about his chances, he said he felt “competitive” nationally but confident in this, his own, seat.

— Emma Reynolds

3.50pm

Polling booths damaged in St Kilda, posters torn down in Lindsay

Four men have been arrested for allegedly damaging polling booths in St Kilda in the early hours of Saturday.

Police responded to reports of groups going to polling booths in the Port Philip area damaging signs and posters.

About 2.40am at the St Kilda Primary School polling station on Brighton Road, officers arrested four men, searching a car and seizing three box cutters.

A 46-year-old from Thornbury, a 46-year-old from Pascoe Vale, a 39-year-old from St Kilda and a 43-year-old from Altona Meadows were interviewed and have been released pending further inquiries, a police spokeswoman said.

Both the Greens and the Liberal Party have complained to authorities about vandalism to their campaign material in Melbourne.

The election battle in key NSW marginal seat Lindsay also turned nasty with a Liberal MP accusing Labor supporters of a federal offence.

Member for Lindsay Fiona Scott took to social media to accuse supporters of her Labor rival Emma Husar of tearing down her election signs.

Labor has been contacted for comment.

— AAP

3.45pm

Briggs heckled while casting vote

Jamie Briggs, who was forced to stand down as cities minister in January, has been heckled by a voter while casting his ballot.

A woman approached the South Australian MP at a polling booth at St Catherine’s School in Sterling West at lunchtime, confronting him over the Hong Kong nightclub incident that cost him his job — and will likely see him lose the seat of Mayo, in the Adelaide Hills.

“Do you regret sending that photo of that lady to everybody, Mr Briggs?” the woman asked.

“Mr Briggs, do you regret it? Do you wish you didn’t do it?”

“Good on you,” she shot while walking away.

Mr Briggs resigned from the ministry after a late-night incident involving a female public servant in a Hong Kong bar during an official overseas visit.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade staffer complained that Mr Briggs told her she had “piercing eyes” and kissed her on the neck, although Mr Briggs said it was her cheek.

Mr Briggs admitted to sharing with colleagues a photo of the public servant, which ended up in the newspapers, but he denied giving it to the media.

Nick Xenophon Team candidate Rebekha Sharkie is tipped to steal the seat of Mayo, which has been held by Mr Briggs for almost a decade.

— Dana McCauley

3.40pm

Fake Medicare text messages

Anti-Turnbull text messages claiming to have been sent by Medicare on election day have been labelled fake by the government.

Health Minister Sussan Ley is warning people to beware after news.com.au alerted the department Australian voters had been sent the texts.

News.com.au has seen a number of text messages sent this morning to voters, under the name “Medicare”, discouraging votes for the government.

3.30pm

Bill Shorten’s parting shot

The Opposition Leader has returned to his home state of Victoria ahead of the close of polling.

He used his last press conference to fire off one last shot at the coalition.

“I am optimistic that right across Australia we are seeing a discernible mood for change,” he said.

“It is not enough for a lazy government to turn up and just say, well, please just give us a second term because we had a first term.

“Australians want a Prime Minister who’s interested in them, not just in keeping his own job. Labor offers positive plans for the future of Australia.”

3pm

Greens accuse Liberal supporter of biting

The campaign in Higgins is getting ugly with a Greens volunteer allegedly bitten during a struggle with two men believed to be Liberal supporters

A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed to news.com.au it was investigating an alleged assault in Armadale last night.

“Investigators have been told a 48-year-old woman was sitting in a car with a friend on Denham Rd about 9pm (Friday) when two men aged in their 60s approached the vehicle,” she said.

“The unknown men allegedly made comments about election material before the woman then attempted to take a photo of the unknown men, a short struggle took place before the unknown men took off.

“The woman suffered soreness to her thumb during the incident.”

She said there had been no arrests at this stage and the investigation was ongoing.

According to Fairfax, the men were upset the Greens had put up posters ahead of Election Day.

The contest is tight in Higgins where Greens candidate Jason Ball could unseat sitting Liberal MP and Small Busines Minister Kelly O’Dwyer.

Jason Ball. Picture: Ellen Smith
Jason Ball. Picture: Ellen Smith
Kelly O'Dwyer. Picture: Julian Smith
Kelly O'Dwyer. Picture: Julian Smith

2.16pm

‘Who eats a sausage like that?’

It’s now well past midday and both leaders have visited polling booths while chatting with voters in a final attempt to win them over.

While one leader has already cast his vote and passed on a traditional sausage sanger, another has been making waves for the method in which he enjoyed his taste of democracy.

Bill Shorten attracted attention after his unorthodox eating method drew gasps of shock.

Instead of starting at the end, Mr Shorten went straight for the middle.

The unusual technique attracted a fair bit of attention on Twitter.

No one starts from the middle do they, Bill? Picture Kym Smith
No one starts from the middle do they, Bill? Picture Kym Smith

2.15pm

Malcolm goes rogue, ditches the press

The PM has ditched the media pack paying big bucks to follow him around throughout the campaign and is taking his election day publicity into his own hands.

After being bussed out to the Double Bay school where Mr Turnbull cast his vote, the political press pack was told that was it for Mr Turnbull’s schedule today and there’d be no further opportunities to catch him out and about.

But Mr Turnbull clearly has further election day business to carry out without the pesky press, keeping us updated via social media.

He’s been keenly posting selfies and snaps from the train he caught out to Penrith, the candidate he posed with in Parramatta, and the snag stand he helped man at a western Sydney polling place.

Mr Turnbull has made another surprise election day visit in Western Sydney, popping in to a Penrith polling place.

The PM joined Liberal MP Fiona Scott at the Penrith South Public School in the marginal seat of Lindsay which she holds by only 3 per cent.

Lindsay has emerged as a key battleground seat throughout the campaign, attracting multiple visitors from each leader.

Mr Shorten also made a trip out to Lindsay this morning, supporting Labor candidate.

Emma Husar.

— Liz Burke

1.15pm

DJ Albo hits the decks

Oh dear. Sometimes pollies should really stick to their day job.

Mr Shorten’s sausage eating method hasn’t been the only awkward moment today.

Labor stalwart Anthony Albanese decided to show off his skills on the DJ decks at Annadale Public School.

The Grayndler MP and Labor’s Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism spokesman showed off his dancing skills to Taylor Swift’s Shake it Off.

Oh well, at least the kids seem delighted.

Not one to be content with taking a back seat, Greens candidate Jim Casey showed he could hack it on the deck at the Annadale Public School’s fete.

1pm

Labor’s ‘deceived’ Australia

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has cast her ballot and had some stinging words for Labor.

Speaking to reporters in her safe West Australian seat of Curtin, Ms Bishop said Labor walked away from having any economic policy and instead resorted to a fundamental lie about Medicare.

Ms Bishop said she believed the mood from voters was optimistic and they hadn’t accepted the Medicare scare campaign.

12.40pm

‘We are getting smashed’

Voters are taking this election very seriously with long queues continuing to form across the country’s polling stations.

It appears they are taking Mr Shorten and Mr Turnbull’s message on-board about making their vote really count. One AEC officer in Townsville told ABC reporter David Chen “they are being smashed”.

12pm

Labor’s long road to victory

Millions of Australians are continuing to cast their ballot with polls set to close at 6pm.

With polls suggesting it’s very close in some seats, both parties are making a final attempt to woo voters.

If Labor does win leader Bill Shorten will become Australia’s fifth prime minister in three years.

Labor needs to gain 19 seats to take majority government.

11.50am

Where the leaders are now

After casting his vote on home ground in Wentworth, the Prime Minister headed to western Sydney to lend his support to local Liberal candidates.

He has visited a polling booth at Parramatta town Hall to support candidate Michael Beckwith, who’s up against Labor MP Julie Owens in the seat of Parramatta.

Labor holds the seat with a 1.6 per cent margin, making it one of the more winnable seats for the Liberals to snatch from Labor.

Mr Turnbull again declined to down a traditional sausage sandwich, but tweeted a pic with men manning the Souvlaki on the Run food truck at the Parramatta polling booth.

Meanwhile Mr Shorten said he believes he’s done enough to win the election.

Despite being behind in the polls and speculation he might not pick up even close to winning the seats Labor need to make government, he remains determinedly “optimistic”, insisting that his message that the election is a referendum on Medicare was resonating with the voters.

Mr Shorten has been to polling booths in Greenway — a Labor seat held by Michelle Rowland by a margin of 2.9 per cent — as well as the marginal Liberal seat of Macquarie, held by Michaelle Rowland by 4.5 per cent.

Both leaders have urged voters to make their vote count. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Both leaders have urged voters to make their vote count. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

News.com.au reporter Emma Reynolds said Chloe Shorten attracted her fair share of attention while on the campaign trail with her husband.

As she left Bennett Public School polling booth in Colyton in the seat of Lindsay she knocked over a Liberal campaigner’s flyers.

But the volunteer couldn’t hold it against her. “It’s entirely my fault,” Mike Parnell told newsc.om.au. “She’s a beautiful woman.

“All the politicians do amazing job, they work so hard.”

As Mr Shorten left he left he was cuddled by a little girl, who laughed that she would be voting Labor in five years.

11am

Tony’s big ambition

He might have lost his position as the nation’s Prime Minister, but Tony Abbott has hinted he would like to play a bigger role in his party in future.

Speaking on Sunrise earlier this morning, Mr Abbott spoke about the campaign he was supposed to lead.

“From time to time I’ve been dropped from first grade to second grade,” he said.

“You’ve just gotta accept the selector’s verdict, play as well as you can and see what the future holds.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x29_l3fQimw?rel=0

10.30am

Tony’s big wrap

Tony Abbott’s sister Christine Forster said she believes the Liberals are the better party to deliver results on the core issues of jobs and the economy.

Speaking on Sky News, the openly gay Sydney Liberal councillor said both parties have gone to election with very clear messages and she didn’t believe Australians had fallen for Labor’s Medicare scare campaign.

“I don’t think people have bought it, or the Gonski scare campaign,” she said.

“At the end of the day, the message is we need to get our budget back in order and the only party that can do that is the Liberals.”

Ms Forster also said she believed a plebiscite would not unlock a barrage of hatred, adding that if it did succeed it would represent the voice of all Australians and not just politicians.

She also spoke highly of her brother and believed he would hold onto his seat because he’s a “good man and a good Australian”.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his wife Margie vote in the seat of Warringah in Sydney.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his wife Margie vote in the seat of Warringah in Sydney.

9.40am

‘Taste of democracy’

Bill Shorten visited his first polling booth at Strathfield North Public School in the seat of Reid, Western Sydney, in the Bill bus, arriving to cheers from Labor campaigners and cries of “jobs and growth” from Liberal supporters.

News.com.au reporter Emma Reynolds said the Labor leader and local candidate Angelo Tsirekas were given three cheers each.

Mr Shorten initially refused but couldn’t resist an early first sausage sizzle — a thin beef sausage with onions and tomato sauce adding it “tastes of democracy”.

He met parent Eamonn Dunphy selling used musical instruments and told him that if Labor are elected he wouldn’t have to do that because the school would be properly funded.

Mr Shorten spoke to voters, handed out how to vote cards and checked out the stalls, saying it would be the “cream on the cake” if Labor were elected.

He left to more cheers and shouts of “Vote Labor, save Medicare” and “Vote Liberal, stop the boats”, irritating the Labor campaigners who angrily told their opponents they shouldn’t heckle.

Meanwhile it appears Liberal campaigners start young these days. Lincoln Milson, 9, and brother Hayden were out campaigning for sitting MP Craig Laundy with their mum.

9.30am

Food for thought

As voting gets underway people are revealing what they think is the important issue at hand — the famous sausage sizzle and cake stalls.

But not everyone has been so lucky on the food front as News.com.au reporter Debbie Schipp horrifyingly discovered.

Meanwhile Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has cast his vote in the seat of Warringah, saying “it’s not about me”.

Mr Abbott is expected to retain his seat by a comfortable margin but faces a challenge from former Australian Idol host and independent Warringah candidate James Mathison.

9.20am

Malcolm votes

As Mr Shorten sweeps across Sydney, the Prime Minister has made his vote count.

Arriving at his favoured local polling booth, Double Bay Public School in the PM’s own seat of Wentworth, he lined up with wife Lucy and fellow local voters to fill out his ballots and have his say.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy cast their vote at Double Bay Primary School polling booth. Picture: Jason Edwards
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy cast their vote at Double Bay Primary School polling booth. Picture: Jason Edwards

News.com.au reporter Liz Burke said Mr Turnbull grabbed a coffee and a couple of Liberal how to vote cards on his way to the booth, but decided to steer clear of a democracy sausage.

On casting his vote with Lucy by his side (the couple shared a booth and filled out their ballots together) Mr Turnbull didn’t tell waiting media exactly how he had voted.

But he said “there’s never been a more exciting time to vote for a stable, majority coalition government”. So, that’s a clue.

The PM shook only a couple of hands and stopped for a few selfies before being whisked away.

It’s unknown at this stage if Mr Turnbull plans to visit further booths and lend his support to local candidates around Sydney today, but it’s likely he’ll spend most of the afternoon resting up for a big night.

Mr Turnbull holds Wentworth with a margin of 18.9 per cent.

“The PM is clearly confident, with no campaigning to be seen as yet on polling day,” she said.

It’s unclear if he will make an appearance at marginal seats in Sydney, like Opposition Leader Bill Shorten who’s planning blitz of Western Sydney before casting his ballot.

Surfers walk past an election poster at Bondi Beach in the electorate of Wentworth as voters head to the polls today. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Surfers walk past an election poster at Bondi Beach in the electorate of Wentworth as voters head to the polls today. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

9.05am

Bill’s busy morning

Mr Shorten is heading to the polling booths in Reid, Lindsay and Macquarie in western Sydney following his morning run in a final pitch to voters.

Reid is a Liberal seat held by Craig Laundy by a margin of 4.2 per cent, Lindsay is Liberal held by Fiona Scott by a three per cent margin and Macquarie is held by Liberal Louise Markus by 4.5 per cent.

He will then head to Melbourne in the afternoon to vote at Moonee Ponds Primary school in his electorate of Maribyrnong.

Then he’ll await the results at Labor’s party at Moonee Valley Racing Club.

9am

Bill Shorten hits the road

The Opposition Leader was hitting the streets early today, taking a morning jog ahead of his sweeping visits to marginal Sydney streets.

Sky News reports the contest is tight however the latest polls show the Coalition edging ahead.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on a morning run in Sydney. Picture Kym Smith
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on a morning run in Sydney. Picture Kym Smith

8.45am

Polling booths are open

Australians are starting to cast their vote across the country.

It comes after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s last-minute appeal to voters yesterday when he said it is a very close election and that every vote counts.

“This is a close election,” he said, while campaigning in the marginal seat of Reid.

“This is not a time to make a protest vote.”

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/federal-election-2016-australia-votes--malcolm-turnbull-vs-bill-shorten/news-story/833eb1ccf82a9e6c23cd9fc442206e91