Constituents are casting their votes at Old Parliament House in Canberra.
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00:00This is probably one of the few polling places around the country where enthusiasm for democracy
00:07sausages is actually matched by the excitement for the democratic process.
00:11This was the home of the Australian Parliament from 1927 to 1988 and is now the Museum of
00:18Australian Democracy.
00:19Many in Canberra see it as making a bit of a political pilgrimage to come here and vote
00:23today.
00:24Among them was the Australian Electoral Commissioner this morning who is here reflecting not just
00:28on the millions that will vote today in the some 7,000 polling centres right around the
00:33country but the millions who have already cast a vote.
00:37What a wonderful day it is for elections in Australia and for democracy in Australia and
00:40it's great to see people out enjoying this beautiful day in Canberra grabbing a democracy
00:46sausage and casting their ballot.
00:49About 47% of Australians have voted early either directly at pre-poll or through our postal
00:55votes.
00:56It's an increase of about 22% on early voting from the last election.
01:03Part of a global trend so you know it's not unexpected.
01:06For the pundits they consider the seats in Canberra either being safe labour or very safe
01:12labour but that doesn't mean that there's not seats to be watched here in the ACT.
01:17Those cost of living pressures and housing issues that we have seen right around the country,
01:21Canberra is not immune to those.
01:23Also the coalition's policy of reducing the size of the public service in Canberra by some
01:2841,000 jobs has also been a key point of contention throughout the campaign.
01:32At the last election we saw Independent David Pocock unseat then Liberal Senator Zed Soselja,
01:38the first time that the Liberal Party hasn't held one of the ACT's two Senate seats in its entire history.
01:44When it comes to the lower house well we've seen a number of Greens and Independent candidates who are hoping to jump onto the momentum
01:50that we saw at the last ACT election where two Independent members were elected to the Legislative Assembly.
01:56So plenty of seats to watch here in the ACT, plenty to happen when it comes to counting after six o'clock.