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| Election held in New South Wales | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, is going to the polls with the Labor party expected to win a fourth term in office. | Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, is going to the polls with the Labor party expected to win a fourth term in office. |
| Polls put Labor ahead of its main Liberal-National rival, despite a campaign described as lacklustre by Australian media. | Polls put Labor ahead of its main Liberal-National rival, despite a campaign described as lacklustre by Australian media. |
| Roads and water infrastructure, as well as economic management, have been the key issues of the campaign. | Roads and water infrastructure, as well as economic management, have been the key issues of the campaign. |
| A former Guantanamo Bay detainee is standing as an independent. | A former Guantanamo Bay detainee is standing as an independent. |
| Mamdouh Habib is contesting a seat in a suburb of Sydney, although he is thought to stand little chance of success. | Mamdouh Habib is contesting a seat in a suburb of Sydney, although he is thought to stand little chance of success. |
| He is one of a handful of Muslims standing in the election, in the hope of gaining a political voice. | He is one of a handful of Muslims standing in the election, in the hope of gaining a political voice. |
| Sydney's Muslim community has been affected by recent controversies, including a row over comments made by the country's top Islamic cleric and race riots in December 2006. | Sydney's Muslim community has been affected by recent controversies, including a row over comments made by the country's top Islamic cleric and race riots in December 2006. |
| Voter dissatisfaction | Voter dissatisfaction |
| Polls in the last days of campaigning predicted Premier Morris Iemma and the Labor party would be returned to government. | Polls in the last days of campaigning predicted Premier Morris Iemma and the Labor party would be returned to government. |
| Mr Iemma became New South Wales premier 18 months ago, after long-term leader Bob Carr announced his resignation. | Mr Iemma became New South Wales premier 18 months ago, after long-term leader Bob Carr announced his resignation. |
| He has sought to distance himself from the legacy of Mr Carr, amid dissatisfaction in the state over Labor's 12 years in power, analysts say. | He has sought to distance himself from the legacy of Mr Carr, amid dissatisfaction in the state over Labor's 12 years in power, analysts say. |
| Mr Iemma has promised a "massive improvement" to the state's public transport system if he is re-elected, saying it would be his "number one priority... it will be so over the next four years". | Mr Iemma has promised a "massive improvement" to the state's public transport system if he is re-elected, saying it would be his "number one priority... it will be so over the next four years". |
| Main opposition leader Peter Debnam, of the Liberal-National coalition, has focused his campaign on the state's dwindling water supply. | Main opposition leader Peter Debnam, of the Liberal-National coalition, has focused his campaign on the state's dwindling water supply. |
| Recent opinion polls showed Labor had more than 50% of the vote, while the Liberal-Nationals had 44-47%. | Recent opinion polls showed Labor had more than 50% of the vote, while the Liberal-Nationals had 44-47%. |
| New South Wales' polls come in an election year in Australia. | |
| Prime Minister John Howard, who leads the Liberal-National coalition, is expected to call elections in the second half of 2007. |