The first polls opened at 8am (local time) on Australia’s east coast, to be followed later by the country’s western cities and far-flung island territories. A total of 18.1 million voters have enrolled for the election. More than a third of them have cast an early ballot, the election authority said.

Australians will cast their final votes Saturday in a national election campaign dominated by cost-of-living concerns that’s being closely watched abroad for signs of a Donald Trump-inspired swing against conservative candidates.

SYDNEY: Australians will cram voting booths on Saturday (May 2) to pick their next government, deciding a hard-fought election shaped by living costs, climate anxiety and Trump tariff