Australian citizens are participating in a national election on Saturday, with opinion polls indicating a slight edge for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party over the conservative opposition in terms of two-party preferred votes.
Polling booths are open across the country from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (2200 Friday-0800 Saturday GMT), and voting is compulsory for every eligible citizen in Australia, a requirement unique among few democracies globally.
With approximately 18 million people eligible to vote, around 8 million have already cast their ballots before Saturday.
This election takes place amid heightened geopolitical and trade uncertainty largely due to US President Donald Trump’s policies, which include a 10% levy on Australia’s exports to the United States.
According to surveys, high prices and the significant increase in the cost of living in recent years top the list of voter concerns. The acute shortage of housing, which has inflated rents, further intensifies public discontent.
Albanese, hoping to achieve the rare feat of leading his party to consecutive election victories, has pledged modest tax cuts, affordable healthcare, new homes for first-time buyers, increased childcare subsidies, rebates on electricity bills, and a reduction in student debt. Labor is also committed to replacing fossil fuel-fired electricity generators with renewable energy sources to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Peter Dutton, the conservative opposition leader, has vowed to cut fuel tax, curb gas prices, and invest in infrastructure for half a million homes. His platform includes plans to build seven large-scale nuclear reactors by 2050, increase gas production, and slow the expansion of solar and wind projects, alongside cutting thousands of public sector jobs.
The election is expected to yield numerous surprises, with Albanese’s government promising stability and Dutton predicting seat-by-seat outcomes. The final results may emerge Saturday night or later, depending on the margin of the vote.
Dutton’s recent praise of Trump as a “big thinker” with “gravitas” on the global stage has been cited as a reason for his loss of support in some polls. There’s also a possibility that Labor may be forced into a minority government, given the potential for a third of voters to opt for independents and minor parties.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/australians-head-to-polls-to-elect-new-government/a-72423410?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
