Picture taken in Melbourne shows shocking queues to vote

A picture taken at a voting station in Melbourne has angered Australians, with just hours before polls close.

Melbourne voters have been left outraged after queuing for hours to cast their vote just moments before Voice voting closes.

Lines of people snaked around a polling station in Docklands, as hundreds of voters were forced to queue for more than two hours.

Appearing on Sky News, Melbourne’s Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece said the chaos was “unacceptable”.

“What we all agree on is that the administration of the voting process in a democracy should be carried out well, and it's been a real fail here in Melbourne,” he said.

“Particularly considering we have compulsory voting in this country so we want to make it as easy as possible to cast their vote but we’ve got long long queues in Melbourne because hadn’t had that second booth in the CBD.”

A large queue at Docklands in Melbourne’s CBD caused chaos this afternoon. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling

The inner-city suburb has a population of 15,495, according to the 2021 census. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

One fed-up resident posted on social media that they stood in line for 90 minutes warning that the queue was “getting longer”.

“Massive queue in Melbourne Docklands…been here an hour, probably 30 min to go, but worth it. And it’s FREEZING,” another user wrote on X.

A voter wrote that they only noticed one AEC staff member giving directions “occasionally” at the halfway point of the queue.

“It’s noticeable in the videos posted online the absence of AEC staff outside the venue at docklands,” a post on X read.

In response to online anger from residents, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) said that voting options in the city was difficult.

“We can’t always get premises for an operation of this size and on short notice,” an AEC spokesperson wrote.