Australia election polls begin to close

Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionPrime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy cast their ballots in Sydney

The first polls have closed in Australia's federal election, which the governing right-wing Liberal Party is expected to narrowly win.

More than 10 million people were expected to cast ballots on Saturday, on top of four million who voted early.

Polls indicated a neck-and-neck race between the two major parties.

Minor party candidates are expected to take seats and a hung parliament is possible.

Polling booths on the east coast closed at 18:00 local time (9:00 BST). Booths on the west coast close two hours later.

While the government is expected to hold some key marginal seats, Labor is certain to improve upon the 55 seats it currently holds in the lower house.

The Greens and South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon's newly formed pro-protectionism party are also expected to take seats.

However, the UK's decision to leave the EU appears to have benefitted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull,  copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionGreens leader Richard Di Natale grapples with Australia's notoriously long Senate ballot while casting his vote in Melbourne
Analysis: Shaun Davies, Australia Editor, BBC News Online

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says he's in it to win it, but pundits agree that a Labor victory is unlikely.

But there are still plenty of reasons for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to feel nervous.

As is the case elsewhere in the world, Australians seem in a mood to punish the major parties.

A hung parliament appears possible in the lower house. If the coalition doesn't take enough seats to form government in its own right, Mr Turnbull will need to deal with the minor parties and independents.

Even if the coalition secures the lower house, candidates from outside the two major parties look likely to do well in the Senate. A substantial crossbench could play havoc with the government's attempts to pass legislation.

The conservative wing of the Liberal Party still regards Malcolm Turnbull with suspicion. Anything less than a convincing victory will leave him vulnerable to rebellion.

As the result of the UK's referendum became clear, Mr Turnbull assured voters that he could deliver "economic certainty".

The former lawyer and investment banker vowed to deliver tax cuts for workers and small businesses.

In contrast, Mr Shorten has promised to make his first priority legalising same-sex marriage.

The government and Labor have sparred over the economy, healthcare, immigration and same-sex marriage during the campaign.Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionOpposition Leader Bill Shorten and his wife Chloe spent Friday meeting local residents in Sydney's suburbs
On the sidelines

An electoral flight to the independents could force the next government to walk a legislative minefield.

The Greens - who have 10 senators and one lower house MP - are predicted to win more seats, particularly in inner-city areas where climate change and the treatment of refugees are major concerns.

The Nick Xenophon Team is expected to do particularly well in South Australia and could control the balance of power in the event of a hung parliament.

Pauline Hanson, the founder of the far-right One Nation party, is a chance to re-enter politics in the Senate on an anti-immigration platform.

A string of minor and micro parties with wildly diverse agendas are also running for both lower and upper house seats.

These include the pro-gun, small-government Libera