AUSTRALIA VOTES: ABC Election Day Coverage

29th April 2025

As Australians head to the polls this Saturday May 3 join Australia’s sharpest political minds on the ABC for the most authoritative coverage across all platforms.

Stay with the ABC throughout the day and into the evening for lively commentary, insightful analysis and rolling news coverage from around Australia.

Online

Visit Australia’s No 1 news site news.abc.net.au and download the ABC NEWS app and ABC Listen app to stay across the latest as Australia Votes.

ABC NEWS website and app will bring you breaking news, live results, features, explainers and analysis, with our top writers unpacking the issues and the impacts for all Australians. Ask questions via the live blog, react in real time to the posts and sign up to receive an alert when Chief Elections Analyst Antony Green calls the result.

Before heading to the polling booth use Antony Green's guide to learn more about your seat and check out our interactive explainer on key promises from the major parties. If you’re still undecided, Vote Compass is exclusive to the ABC and shows how your views compare to those of the major political parties. More than 1 million people have already taken part.

As the votes are counted, our comprehensive results service will provide up-to-the-minute updates for every seat. You can search any seat and pin key seats of interest, allowing you to personalise your own results experience as you keep across the latest developments on the race between the two major parties vying to win government. 

On TV

The all-day election coverage begins at 7am** on ABC TV and ABC iview with Fauziah Ibrahim and Dan Bourchier on Weekend Breakfast followed by extended news bulletins from 11am to 4pm presented by Kathryn Robinson.

Gemma Veness will present a national news bulletin for ABC TV and ABC NEWS Channel at 5pm, crossing live to reporters stationed at key seats across the country, polling places and the major parties’ election headquarters.

If you’re on the go, in line to vote or at an election night party stay in touch by live-streaming coverage all day on ABC iview and catch up on key moments and stories any time in the Australia Votes category.

 

Election Night – TV

From 5:30pm David Speers and Sarah Fergusonspearhead the TV broadcast special live from the ABC Election Centre in Sydney. Joining them at the election desk are Annabel Crabb and Laura Tingle, along with Bridget Brennan, who will interview candidates from across the country.

Special guests Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Coalition Senator James McGrath will provide their insights throughout the night.  

Antony Green will crunch the numbers for the final time after announcing his retirement from the role following more than three decades of elections.

Jeremy Fernandez will use the ‘Big Board’ to help give audiences a better perspective of the results, and analyse the latest trends in the vote with Casey Briggs.

A separate panel will be led by Patricia Karvelas joined by RedBridge Group directors Kosmos Samaras and Tony Barry, bringing their decades of experience as campaign strategists and pollsters.

ABC reporters will be spread from coast to coast in the battleground seats which will decide who forms the next government, and we’ll hear from senior figures from the major and minor parties as the makeup of the 48th parliament starts to take shape.

Jane Norman and Olivia Caisley will monitor the mood of the Liberal and Labor camps from their Sydney functions and bring audiences the victory and concession speeches live.   

Election night – Audio

Tune into NewsRadio and ABC Local Radio from 6pm for rolling live coverage. Our expert panel of Thomas Oriti, Sabra Lane, Melissa Clarke and Dr Jill Sheppard will take listeners seat-by-seat around the country to see how Australians have voted.  

Later that night Patricia Karvelas and Jacob Greber will digest the results for you in an election night special of the Politics Now podcast. Keep refreshing your Politics Now feed right across the weekend for update episodes.  

Sunday May 4

The day after, join Weekend Breakfast from the special start time of 6am. We'll be broadcasting live from the election battlegrounds to hear from the community what swayed their votes and what their hopes are for the future.

From 9am, in the final 90-minute Insiders program of the campaign, David Speers will present a post-election special from the ABC Election Centre with panellists Samantha Maiden, Jacob Greber and David Crowe.    

Tune into your local ABC radio station for a special election wash-up edition of AM with Rachel Mealey.  

From 10am Steve Austin will continue special live coverage on your local station, with WA listeners able to tune in to Gary Adshead and Nadia Mitsopoulos from 9am local time.

Later that day the ABC News Daily podcast will focus on the biggest story from Election 2025 and what it means for you. 

**All times are AEST unless otherwise stated.