Saturday 21 May 2022 08:58 AM Australia election exit polls 2022 LIVE: Results revealed for Labor, Liberal, ... trends now
An exit poll will come out shortly after polls close on the east coast at 6pm, potentially providing a huge clue about who will win the federal election.
However, exit polls in 2019 were wrong, wrongly predicting a comfortable win for Labor leader Bill Shorten.
Earlier on Saturday Australian voters in marginal seats were bombarded with an 11th hour text message from the Liberal Party about the arrival of two asylum seeker boats, just hours before polls closed.
Mr Morrison was accompanied by wife Jenny and daughters Lily and Abbey as he slipped his ballot into the box at Lilli Pilli Public School, Sydney's south, on Saturday
Mr Albanese addressed a crowd of excited supporters outside the polling booth in Marrickville promising he would remain 'one of the people'
The texts, which are being sent as a 'news alert' refer to an 'illegal' boat that was intercepted by Border Force officials allegedly trying to enter Australia.
'BREAKING: Australian Border Force has intercepted an illegal boat trying to reach Australia. Keep our borders secure by voting Liberal today,' the text read.
Scott Morrison also warned more people smugglers will come to Australia under a Labor government as the prime minister and Anthony Albanese cast their votes.
A second boat was intercepted on Wednesday by the Sri Lankan Navy before it reached Australian waters.
Daily Mail Australia understands there have been up to 30 asylum seeker boats intercepted by ABF this year alone - none of which prompted a text message alert.
A fishing vessel carrying dozens of people (pictured) has been stopped by the Sri Lankan navy amid warnings that people smuggling could ramp up after election day
Labor has emerged as the favourite among bookies with payout rates dropping from $1.55 on Friday to $1.32 on Saturday.
The timing of the boat arrival prompted theories that the arrival of the boat was no accident and had somehow been planned ahead of time as an election stunt.
Among those discussing the theory was 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame, who wrote that the boat arriving 'on the eve of an election' was 'a chilling a coincidence'.
'As well as being xenophobic, this vitriolic, fear-mongering rhetoric is blatant propaganda designed to undermine opponents,' she wrote.
An unsolicited text message was sent to residents urging them to vote Liberal
'Our nation is better than this.
'Whatever the truth is in this case, people are not pawns. People are people.'
Journalist Karen Middleton kickstarted the theory by revealing she was tipped off about the possibility weeks ago, but couldn't verify it.
'I got a tip on April 26 that two boats had left Sri Lanka, facilitated by SL authorities and timed to arrive just before election. Informant described it as "an election stunt". Maybe it’s a coincidence,' she wrote.
Middleton said her source told of his friend in Colombo witnessing people being loaded on one of the boats in the presence of police.
Voters were quick to vent their fury on social media, angry that a security issue was being politicised and spun for votes on election day, when no other boat arrivals received the same treatment.
Mr Morrison made one last pitch to voters to re-elect him as prime minister, confirming a boat sailing from Sri Lanka had been intercepted - and that only he could protect the country from more people smugglers.
The Australian Border Force released a statement the boat was likely attempting to 'illegally' enter Australia after it was reported it came 'very close' to the west coast of Christmas Island.
Mr Albanese cast his vote at Marrickville Town Hall in his home seat of Grayndler as he was watched on by his son Nathan, partner Jodie Haydon and cavoodle Toto
'I can confirm that there's been an interception of a vessel en route to Australia,' Mr Morrison said.
'That vessel has been intercepted in accordance with the policies of government and they're following those normal protocols and I can simply say this.
'I've been here to stop this boat but in order for me to be there to stop those that may come from here, you need to vote Liberal and Nationals today.'
The messages prompted the Australia Electoral Commission to tweet that 'electoral laws don't prohibit text messages sent by candidates or political parties'.
Labor has emerged as the favourite among bookies with payout rates dropping from $1.55 on Friday to $1.32 on Saturday
Scott Morrison was helped by his wife Jenny as he cast his vote in the seat of Cook on Saturday
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews warned people smugglers were hoping for a change in government and waiting for the outcome of the election.
A fishing boat and two dinghies headed for a 'foreign country' were intercepted off the Batticaloa coast by the Sri Lankan navy on Wednesday.
Some 40 people, including four people
