Anthony Albanese and Labor win the federal election as Peter Dutton loses his seat — as it happened

Anthony Albanese asked for a Labor Senate how-to-vote card before heading to a voting booth and casting his ballot this afternoon.

Accompanied by fiancée Jodie Haydon and son Nathan, the prime minister expressed confidence he'd win the local Marrickville West booth.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, partner Jodie Haydon and son Nathan cast their votes at a polling booth at Marrickville West Public School in Sydney. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

"It's my local booth, if we don't win this booth we're in real trouble," he said.

The prime minister greeted Australian Electoral Commission workers as he took his place in the booth next to his son, spending less than a minute filling in his ballot.

He turned to photographers before dropping the green and white ballots in their respective boxes — his son almost cast his votes in the wrong box before the prime minister intervened.

"I voted for him," Nathan said.

— Ron Mizen, Kat Wong

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has been confronted by a pro-Palestinian activist outside a polling centre in Canberra, the ABC reports.

Gallagher, who is running for a Senate seat in the ACT, was leaving a public school when she was approached by a spokesperson for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

The international grassroots group organises actions intended to disrupt Israel's blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid.

The activist, James Godfrey, told Gallagher: "You're a minister in this government and you're doing nothing", to which Gallagher replied: "That's not true".

"Palestinians in Gaza are being starved at the moment," Godfrey can be seen yelling at Gallagher in the footage. "Sixty days plus of no food, no water, no medicines and no fuel, and your government is complicit in this genocide."

Groups including the United Nations have accused Israel of carrying out "genocidal acts" in its war on Gaza. Israel has rejected such accusations.

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Since early March, Israel has completely cut off all supplies to Gaza's 2.3 million residents, and food stockpiled during a ceasefire at the start of the year has all but run out, according to international aid agencies.

Israel has repeatedly said it would not allow the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza until Hamas releases all remaining hostages. It has accused Hamas of hijacking humanitarian aid, which the militant group denies.

On Friday, Freedom Flotilla organisers accused Israel of bombing one of its ships bound for Gaza, with activists and aid onboard, off the coast of Malta.

The Maltese government said in a statement on Friday that everyone aboard the flotilla had been "confirmed safe".

Israel has not commented on the accusation that it was responsible.

— Alex Gallagher

What would an election live blog be without dogs?

Amid the long queues of voters and the scent of sausage sizzles, all manner of canines, big and small, have joined their owners at polling centres across the country.

Here are a few of the great snaps we've seen so far.

This dog is well prepared for the cold as as voters wait to enter the election centre at Brunswick East Primary School, in Melbourne. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett

Archie the dog sits comfortably outside a polling station in the seat of Gilmore, NSW. Source: AAP / Dean Lewins

This dog has a good seat as voters queue up to cast their ballot in Melbourne. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett

This dog even got a lift outside this Melbourne polling station. Source: AAP / Diego Fidele

A pair of Fox Terriers with their owner in Sydney. Source: Getty / Lisa Maree Williams

— Cameron Carr, Alex Gallagher

Elections can be decided by just a handful of seats, and some are more marginal than others.

These seats are often the target of political activity because changing the minds of just a few hundred or thousand residents could swing the results in favour of the opposite party.

Find your electorate and whether it's a marginal seat by using SBS News' interactive map — you can also check whether it's one of the key seats experts are watching.

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Twenty key seats to watch on at the election as the results roll in

— Charis Chang

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is handing out how-to-vote cards in the electorate of Clark in Tasmania.

The party is running Cathy Griggs for the central Hobart seat, which independent Andrew Wilkie has held since 2010.

Pauline Hanson's daughter, Lee Hanson, is running for a Tasmanian Senate seat with the party.

Recent polls suggest the right-wing party is attracting an increase in primary support, and could secure more Senate seats this election.

The Coalition has listed One Nation above Labor on its how-to-vote cards in some seats, including some where the party is preferenced second.

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— Cameron Carr, Emma Brancatisano

It's getting pretty close to lunchtime in most states and territories, and Western Australians are easing into brunch.

For many Australians, it simply wouldn't be an election day without that most revered of traditions — a sausage between a bit of bread, some sauce, and perhaps a few grilled onions.

If you're keen on snagging a snag, then the crowd-sourced website Democracy Sausage has the information you need.

Donna McMckendray seems pretty happy with her democracy sausage outside a polling booth in the electorate of Goldstein in Melbourne. Source: AAP / Diego Fedele

For another year, the group has created an interactive map where you can find the polling booths with sausage sizzles and cake sales in your area, among other details.

Check out the more than 2,500 estimated booths serving food here.

— Cameron Carr

After more than a month of campaigning, there have been dozens of pledges made by the major parties.

Rania Yallop and Elfy Scott from SBS News' Party Time election podcast series have broken down the big promises, as well as looking at what areas have been overlooked in the campaigns.

Have a listen below, or catch up on every episode of Party Time via your favourite podcast app or here.

— Alex Gallagher

More than 30 political parties are contesting this election, and most are minor ones.

At the last election in 2022, almost one in three Australians voted for a minor party or an independent candidate — the highest number in almost 100 years.

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'Choosing the lesser evil': Why some Australians vote for minor parties

That led to 16 independent and minor MPs joining the crossbench in the House of Representatives, with the power to take part in debates and introduce bills.

As micro and mini parties increasingly grow in popularity, who are some of the key players, and what do they stand for? Yasmine Alwakal and Alexandra Koster have broken down the minor parties who are vying for your vote, and what they're offering here.

— Cameron Carr

Speaking of Dickson, Ali France is Labor's candidate for Peter Dutton's electorate in Queensland, which is held by the Coalition with a 1.7 per cent margin — the closest in the state.

SBS News' Andrew Chappelle spoke to France at a polling centre this morning, asking how she felt as she contests Dutton's seat for the third time.

"I'm hopeful," France said. "I think it's gonna be really close in this seat."

Labor's Ali France, with her son Zac, votes at Albany Creek State school in Moreton Bay. Source: AAP / Jono Searle

"It's always close in this seat, but it feels a bit more positive than last time, so that gives me a bit of hope. We've worked exceptionally hard for seven years in this seat ... People know me, they know what I stand for, so it feels good this time around."

On the issue that's stayed at the forefront of voters' minds in the lead-up to election day, France said it's always been cost of living, and that, increasingly, people have been looking at which party is going to put more money in their pockets.

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Peter Dutton's seat is the most marginal in Queensland. Meet the women taking him on

— Alex Gallagher

Earlier this morning, Peter Dutton made his final pitch to voters while appearing on breakfast TV.

Asked if he will step down as Opposition leader if he loses the election, Dutton says you "can't go into the grand final talking like that".

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has made several stops to petrol stations, which have become a hallmark of his campaign. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

"I'm 54. I'm still very young and I've just got a burning passion for this country," he told Nine's Today Show.

"I just think we live in the best country in the world. Whatever we can do to make it even better is what we contribute ourselves to."

The Coalition leader has made a number of TV appearances today, making several stops throughout Melbourne, and is expected to lodge his own vote in his Queensland electorate of Dickson later today.

— Cameron Carr

Forty of the Senate's 76 seats are up for grabs at this election.

Since senators represent entire states and territories, the ballot paper is much longer than for the House of Representatives.

In past state and federal elections, some ballots have measured over a metre long from the sheer number of candidates and parties running.

You can find out who is running for the upper house in your state or territory here.

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Australia has one of the biggest ballot papers in the world. Here's why

— Cameron Carr

Polls have opened in WA and are running across the country until 6pm local time.

While it could be days until we know the outcome of the election, the Australian Electoral Commission anticipates early results around an hour after polls close.

"It is reasonable to expect that some of the smaller polling places will have results posted from around 7pm local time with a steadier flow of mid-large sized polling places from around 8-8:30pm local time onwards," its website reads.

— Cameron Carr

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made a pre poll appearance at the Liberal-held seat of Menzies.

A redistribution has made the multicultural suburban seat notionally Labor territory, with Labor candidate Gabriel Ng taking on Liberal moderate Keith Wolahan.

Albanese spoke with Labor volunteers, while Coalition campaigners stood quietly and respectfully nearby.

One Liberal supporter even shook the prime minister's hand, who thanked him for doing his part in democracy.

The tone was calmer than other pre-poll visits, in which Albanese has received a few heckles.

A woman had to be pulled away by security at a pre-poll centre on Friday after trying to confront the Labor leader.

— Naveen Razik

Polling centres have been open for nearly two hours now on Australia's east coast, and voters have begun heading to the polls in droves.

Here are a couple of photos from Bondi in Sydney, where locals are taking a break from catching waves to exercise their democratic rights.

Voters head to the polls at the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club in Sydney. Source: AAP / Bianca de Marchi

Source: AAP / Bianca de Marchi

Source: AAP / Bianca de Marchi

— Alex Gallagher

Peter Dutton is pulling up to his 17th petrol station of the campaign in Melbourne's north-west suburb of Melton, in the Labor seat of Gorton.

The electorate is held on a 10 per cent margin — but with member Brendan O'Connor retiring, it’s believed the seat is in play.

Liberal campaign spokesman James Paterson is waiting at the bowser to welcome the Opposition leader, who has pulled up in a truck with double trouble signage and a photo of Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Dutton handed out chocolates to the media, bought with the hypothetical savings one could expect under the Coalition's promised 25 cents per litre reduction to the fuel excise.

He also said hello to a young boy about to go to a footy game who wished him good luck.

— Sara Tomevska

There were long queues at the voting station at Zinc Fed Square in Melbourne's CBD, which serves seven electorates; Melbourne, Macnamara, Cooper, Gellibrand, Wills, Maribyrnong and Kooyong.

But as polls opened, there was not yet much demand for the humble democracy sausage stall, which was being run by Fed Square fixture Mama's Gozleme — although a line can be expected to form once those hungry voters are finished.

Source: SBS / Shive Prema

Source: SBS / Shive Prema

— Shivé Prema

When and where can you vote? When will we know the results? And what are the major parties promising on key issues?

If you've got election day questions, we've got you covered — check out our explainer below:

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What time do polls close? All the key election day details you should know

— Cameron Carr

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has categorically denied a Labor claim the Coalition is targeting age pensions, describing it as a "shameful" last-minute scare campaign.

The Coalition's costings include a line item to reduce overseas eligibility for social services payments to four weeks, calculated to make a saving of $74.3 million over four years.

The prime minister told SBS World News yesterday that the measure would target pensioners.

"If pensioners go overseas for four weeks, they will have their pensions suspended. That will impact many of your listeners, elderly Greek Australians, Italian Australians, Portuguese Australians, so many Australians who do share their time between Australia and the country of their birth," Anthony Albanese said.

But Dutton responded in an interview with SBS News saying that claim was untrue.

"It's just completely false and I think it's actually shameful the prime minister would seek to scare older Australians. It's just another lie out of this campaign," he said.

"We have no changes in relation to pensioners. In fact, there is more support we are providing to pensioners."

When pressed to explain who the measure was targeting, the Opposition leader said the budget saving would come from targeting the parenting payment, which will be paid for a month when someone travels overseas.

"It relates to some people, for example, on parenting payments who can go overseas at the moment for six weeks, and we are going to reduce that to four weeks before there's any change to their payment, so it's actually quite a minor change and it doesn't apply to age pensioners."

A Coalition spokesperson said: "Age pensioners will continue to be able to travel overseas and receive the pension for at least 26 weeks, as per the current rules."

— Anna Henderson

SBS News chief political correspondent Anna Henderson has interviewed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in the final stretches of the federal election campaign.

Henderson spoke with the candidates about their qualifications to lead the nation and their vision for Australia. Watch that below:

— Cameron Carr

The polls have now opened in South Australia and the Northern Territory, and will close at 6pm local time.

The Australian Electoral Commission has a search tool you can use to find your nearest voting venue here.

If this is your first time voting, or you're feeling a bit rusty from the last federal election in 2022, here's a quick guide on casting your ballot today:

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How to cast your vote in the federal election

— Cameron Carr