Australians head to polls with their sights on Trump living costs

SYDNEY - Australians began voting on May 3 in a bitterly contested general election, deciding a contest shaped by living costs, climate anxiety and US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

From dusty desert towns to sun-splashed harbour cities, millions of Australians will choose between left-leaning incumbent Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and conservative challenger Peter Dutton.

The almost universal consensus across a slew of opinion polls leading up to election day was that Mr Albanese’s governing Labor Party would win a second term.

“The holy grail is back-to-back wins that we’re aiming for today,” Mr Albanese told Channel Seven.

“I’ll leave nothing on the field over the next three years if I’m re-elected as Australia’s prime minister.”

Though trailing by a few percentage points in the polls, Mr Dutton said “quiet Australians” could yet deliver a surprise.

“I think they’re going to go into the polling booth and say: ‘You know what? I am not going to reward Anthony Albanese for the last three years’,” he told Channel Nine.

Asked if he would remain the opposition leader if he loses, Mr Dutton said he was only talking about winning, but added: “I am 54. I am still very young, and I’ve just got a burning passion for this country.”

The first polls opened at 8am on Australia’s east coast, 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.

Voting is compulsory, enforced with fines of A$20 (S$16.70),leading to turnouts that top 90 per cent.

A result could come as soon as the night of May 3, unless the vote is very tight.

Mr Albanese, 62, has promised to embrace renewable energy, tackle a