HONG KONG is expected to overtake London with the world's highest turnout of overseas Australian voters in yesterday's cliffhanger federal elections.
With up to 40,000 Australians in Hong Kong, officials estimated more than 10,000 had voted by 5pm yesterday, when polling closed at the consulate in the Wan Chai Harbour Building.
Queues stretched for a block along Harbour Road while the consulate opened at least two floors to voters.
About 8,000 Australians voted in the last federal elections three years ago. At least 3,000 attended yesterday, the busiest day since voting started a week ago. Up to 10,000 usually turn out in London.
Between 70 and 80 per cent of voters were Hong Kong Chinese with Australian citizenship, said Australian Deputy Consul-General John Langtry, who oversaw the voting. The remainder included tourists and other Australians working in the SAR.
Choosing a local representative posed little difficulty for most, but Australia's complicated Senate preferential system - in which voters can rank a list of more than 60 candidates - caused confusion.