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| Australian election count begins | Australian election count begins |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Officials in Australia have begun to count votes in the general election which will decide the fate of serving Prime Minister John Howard. | Officials in Australia have begun to count votes in the general election which will decide the fate of serving Prime Minister John Howard. |
| The Liberal leader, in power for 11 years, is bidding for a historic fifth term. But early vote counts suggest he will be defeated by Labor's Kevin Rudd. | |
| Mr Howard also faces the possibility of losing his own seat in Sydney. | |
| The opposition needs a huge swing to gain the 16 seats required to form a majority government. | The opposition needs a huge swing to gain the 16 seats required to form a majority government. |
| Participating in elections is compulsory under Australian law and more than 13.5 million people were expected to vote. | Participating in elections is compulsory under Australian law and more than 13.5 million people were expected to vote. |
| AUSTRALIAN ELECTION More than 13.5m of Australia's roughly 21m people are registered to voteElectors will choose candidates for all 150 seats in the lower House of Representatives and 40 of the 76 seats in the upper house, the SenatePM John Howard has led the conservative Liberal-National party coalition to four election wins since 1996 and is seeking a final termKevin Rudd is taking the centre-left Labor Party to the polls for the first time as leaderElection issues are the economy, environment and war in Iraq Profile: John Howard Profile: Kevin Rudd Voters' panel | AUSTRALIAN ELECTION More than 13.5m of Australia's roughly 21m people are registered to voteElectors will choose candidates for all 150 seats in the lower House of Representatives and 40 of the 76 seats in the upper house, the SenatePM John Howard has led the conservative Liberal-National party coalition to four election wins since 1996 and is seeking a final termKevin Rudd is taking the centre-left Labor Party to the polls for the first time as leaderElection issues are the economy, environment and war in Iraq Profile: John Howard Profile: Kevin Rudd Voters' panel |
| Mr Howard braved the rain and the taunts of opposition activists as he voted in his constituency of Bennelong in Sydney. | Mr Howard braved the rain and the taunts of opposition activists as he voted in his constituency of Bennelong in Sydney. |
| "I hope we will win. I believe we will win. It is in the hands of my fellow Australians," he told reporters. | "I hope we will win. I believe we will win. It is in the hands of my fellow Australians," he told reporters. |
| The man he has to beat, 50-year-old former diplomat Kevin Rudd, has been out in front throughout the election campaign. | The man he has to beat, 50-year-old former diplomat Kevin Rudd, has been out in front throughout the election campaign. |
| "I have to say there is a strong mood for change in Australia. People want new leadership with a positive plan for the future," Mr Rudd said as he cast his ballot in his Queensland constituency. | "I have to say there is a strong mood for change in Australia. People want new leadership with a positive plan for the future," Mr Rudd said as he cast his ballot in his Queensland constituency. |
| Labor has sought to capitalise on the Howard administration's refusal to sign the Kyoto protocol on climate change. | Labor has sought to capitalise on the Howard administration's refusal to sign the Kyoto protocol on climate change. |
| Mr Howard has campaigned on his record of sound economic management. | Mr Howard has campaigned on his record of sound economic management. |
| What has struck me most is the number of people who've started their sentences with the words 'I used to vote for John Howard, but...' Nick Bryant BBC News in Sydney Read Nick's thoughts in full | What has struck me most is the number of people who've started their sentences with the words 'I used to vote for John Howard, but...' Nick Bryant BBC News in Sydney Read Nick's thoughts in full |
| Opinion polls during election day suggested Mr Howard was clawing back some ground, but the BBC's Nick Bryant, in Sydney, said the electorate still appeared to be in mutinous mood. | Opinion polls during election day suggested Mr Howard was clawing back some ground, but the BBC's Nick Bryant, in Sydney, said the electorate still appeared to be in mutinous mood. |
| Many people seemed to be simply tired of Mr Howard after 11 years of his rule, our correspondent said. And his workplace reforms appeared to have alienated the aspirational working class voters who have long supported him. | Many people seemed to be simply tired of Mr Howard after 11 years of his rule, our correspondent said. And his workplace reforms appeared to have alienated the aspirational working class voters who have long supported him. |
| Labor needs a swing of 4.8% of the vote to capture the seats it requires to form a government. | Labor needs a swing of 4.8% of the vote to capture the seats it requires to form a government. |
| Analysts have suggested the race could come down to results in key marginal constituencies, including Mr Howard's own seat in Bennelong. | Analysts have suggested the race could come down to results in key marginal constituencies, including Mr Howard's own seat in Bennelong. |
| According to an exit poll conducted by Sky News and Channel 7, the Liberal leader faces losing his seat to former TV journalist Maxine McKew, the Labor candidate. | |
| Partial vote counts also appeared to suggest Labor would unseat Mr Howard. |