Conservative leader Abbott expected to win Australian election as polls open
A confident Abbott, who is often photographed in his swimming costume at his local Manly Beach, was accompanied by his wife and daughters in warm spring sunshine
Australia’s conservative leader Tony Abbott, expected to win national elections on Saturday and end six years of Labor rule, cast his vote at a Sydney surf club, joking he’d rather be enjoying the beach than campaigning.
A confident Abbott, who is often photographed in his swimming costume at his local Manly Beach, was accompanied by his wife and daughters in warm spring sunshine.
But while Abbott and his supporters enjoyed the sunshine, opinion polls say voters are set to send a chill down the ruling Labor party, throwing it from office and giving Abbott an overwhelming majority and ending three years of a hung parliament.
Abbott, 55, told reporters that Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had failed to govern for all Australians and that was why Australians needed to vote for a change on Saturday.
“I’m in a suit. I sort of wish I was out there on the waves. It’s a nice wave for an elderly long boarder this morning,” Abbott said, adding he did not trust the polls which pointed to an easy conservative win.
“Anything can happen today. I don’t believe the polls, Kevin Rudd doesn’t believe the polls. I think it’s still very close.”