As of 6pm AEST, polls have closed in the eastern states, with early vote counts expected to start trickling in around 7pm. South Australia and the Northern Territory will follow in 30 minutes, while Western Australia’s polls remain open for another two hours.
Political analysts, including Kevin Bonham, anticipate a gradual flow of results, with on-the-day booths expected to report between 8 and 8:30pm. Pre-poll and postal votes will also be counted tonight, with early postal returns generally favouring the Coalition.
Labor Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned the election may not yield a clear winner tonight, noting many seats are “too close to call” and describing Labor’s path to majority government as a “goat track” — narrow and fraught with uncertainty. Meanwhile, Liberal Senator James McGrath said he’s closely watching key Queensland races like Leichhardt, calling some contests “knife fights.”
In Victoria, Greens leader Adam Bandt is set to speak to supporters in Melbourne, hoping to secure wins in Macnamara and Wills. The Greens are also defending three seats in Queensland: Brisbane, Ryan, and Griffith. Tensions have flared in marginal seats like Menzies and Deakin, where Labor accused the Greens of misleading how-to-vote tactics. The Greens insist they are still preferencing Labor over the Liberals.
Labor’s hold on Victoria — long seen as a stronghold — faces pressure from both the Coalition and the Greens. The Liberals are targeting marginal seats like Aston, Chisholm, and McEwen, and challenging teals in Kooyong and Goldstein.
Elsewhere, Channel Nine’s coverage reignited debate over whether Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “stumbled” or “fell” off a stage earlier in the campaign — a moment his team continues to downplay.
Key seats to watch include:
- NSW: Bennelong, Gilmore, Paterson, Dobell, Robertson, Bradfield
- Victoria: Aston, Chisholm, McEwen, Macnamara, Wills, Goldstein
- Queensland: Brisbane, Leichhardt, Dickson
- SA: Sturt
- WA: Tangney, Curtin
- Tasmania: Franklin, Lyons
Stay updated with real-time results via live trackers and election blogs as counting progresses.
