2019 Australia election: Early results suggest tight race

Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption

Exit polls suggest a victory for the opposition Labor Party

Counting is under way in Australia in one of the most closely fought general elections in years.

Early exit polls have suggested a narrow victory for the opposition Labor Party, but early counting puts the incumbent Liberal coalition ahead.

A win for Labor would make its leader Bill Shorten the next prime minister, succeeding centre-right Liberal Scott Morrison.

Australia has mandatory voting and a record 16.4 million enrolled voters.

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Both leaders were out early at polling booths on Saturday, in a last-ditch pitch for votes.

Shortly after voting stations in the east of the country closed, a Nine-Galaxy poll showed Labor beating the Liberal coalition 52-48, with a parliamentary majority. The poll was based on 3,300 voters in 33 seats.

But live vote tallies and projections from Australia's national broadcaster, ABC News showed a small swing to the governing Liberal coalition - a result which if sustained across the nation would confound most pre-election opinion polling.

In such a close race, the final result of the election may not be known for some hours.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott conceded that he had lost his seat in Warringah to former Olympic skier Zali Steggall.

“I can't say that it doesn't hurt to lose,” he told supporters, but added: “I'd rather be a loser than a quitter.”

Why is the election important？

Saturday's vote is the first general election since political infighting ousted Australia's fourth leader in a decade.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he has united his conservative government in the nine months since he replaced Malcolm Turnbull.

But Mr Shorten has pressed his case with stark policy alternatives, promising to cut tax breaks for the wealthy and to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Australia holds elections every three years, but no prime minister has succeeded in serving a full term since 2007.

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Media captionWhy Australians get fined if they don't turn up to voteWhat have been the key issues？

Surveys showed that the economy, cost of living, environment and health were central concerns for voters.

It has been in many ways a generational issue election, experts say, with younger people in particular voicing frustration about climate change and a lack of affordable housing.

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Others have argued that older Australians would be most affected by tax reform proposals that have dominated much of the campaign.

It follows fierce debates in the past year about the rolling leadership turmoil, formal recognition of indigenous Australians, and the treatment of female MPs in parliament.

What have the contenders campaigned for？

As the Liberal-National government seeks its third term, Mr Morrison claims to have healed bitter internal divisions that brought down Mr Turnbull.

Image copyrightEPAImage caption Both Scott Morrison (R) and Bill Shorten are promising stable leadership after years of turmoil

He has campaigned primarily on economic issues, often doing so alone while painting the election as a choice between himself and Mr Shorten.

Mr Shorten, who has led Labor for six years, has instead emphasised his team's stability and policies on climate change, cost of living and health.

Also vying for support are minor parties including the Greens, One Nation and the United Australia Party, as well as a raft of independents.

Why eyes are suddenly looking west

By Jay Savage, BBC News Online Australia Editor

The story isn't uniform in the east, but one thing appears clear: Labor is not doing as well as many people had predicted.

Labor figures certainly appear concerned in interviews on local networks. Their government counterparts, meanwhile, are upbeat about defying months of opinion polling that has pointed to an opposition victory.

Before the election, most talk centred on Queensland and Victoria as the states where the result may be decided.

But with no clear majority evident at this point, eyes are now on a place that has received comparatively little attention - Western Australia.

As results in the west begin to emerge, so too may the verdict nationally.

How did the vote work？

Australian elections always take place on Saturdays. This time about 7,000 polling stations were set up across the nation, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) said.

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Media captionOne of these candidates is expected to make history in Australia's upcoming election.

But people could vote early at pre-polling stations, and a record number - more than four million people - elected to do so in 2019.

Because voting is compulsory, anyone aged over 18 faces a A$20 (£11; $14) fine for not taking part.

At the last election, 95% of Australians voted - a much higher proportion than the most recent US (55%) and UK (69%) polls.

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