24.11.2007
Frantic campaign...voters will head to the polls
after six weeks of policy announcements from both
major parties (File photo) (AAP/Getty Images) |
Labor
needs to win 16 seats for Mr Rudd to
become prime minister, and the latest polls show that
will be tight.
If
Labor wins, Julia Gillard would become
the nation's first female deputy prime minister.
Voters
will decide Mr Howard's political future
today - he faces a tough contest against Labor's Maxine
McKew in his seat of Bennelong.
If
he wins Government, he has promised to serve out his full
term in Bennelong - but has given no guarantee if he would
stay on for three years in opposition.
A
fifth Coalition win would also take the Treasurer Peter
Costello a step closer to being prime minister.
A
loss would see Mr Howard become only the second Prime
Minister to lose both the election and his own seat.
Senate battle
The
contest is not only tight in the 150 House of Representatives
seats - there is also a dramatic battle for the Senate.
The
Greens hope to pick up a seat in the ACT from the Liberals,
which would immediately strip the Coalition's Senate control.
This
poll will also determine the future of the Australian
Democrats.
Vaile optimistic
Federal
Nationals leader Mark Vaile remains optimistic about increasing
his party's numbers in the Parliament after today's election.
The
Nationals won 12 seats at the last poll, but Mr Vaile
believes they are on track to take 14 this time around.
The
results in Queensland and New South Wales seats will determine
whether he reaches his target.
He
is nursing a croaky voice after six weeks of spruiking
on the campaign trail, but he says there is more work
to be done today.
"I'll
be travelling throughout my electorate, providing moral
support and providing thanks to all of our booth workers
throughout the electorate," he said.
"And
then at 6:00pm I intend to go to my local church, to mass
here as I always do on a Saturday night."
Courtesy
- abc.net