Eastern polls close in tight Australian election

9.15pm

SYDNEY - Polling booths closed in Australia's most populous eastern states on Saturday in a tight election between the conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard and opposition Labor under Mark Latham.

Eastern polling booths closed at 6pm (9pm NZ time) although voting will continue for another two hours in Australia's west. Polls closed in the southern island state of Tasmania an hour earlier.

Electoral officials expect to have half of the votes counted within two-and-a-half hours of booths closing. A result should be known late on Saturday.

- REUTERS