Australians start voting as Pope’s death overshadows election campaigning

Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton have cancelled campaign events out of respect for the late pontiff.

People arrive at a polling place as early voting begins in Sydney — People arrived at a polling station on Tuesday as early voting began in Sydney (Mark Baker/AP)

Australians have started voting at the general election as the death of Pope Francis overshadowed campaigning.

Polling stations opened to voters who, for a variety of reasons, will be unable to vote on May 3. Around half the votes are expected to be cast before the election date.

Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton cancelled campaign events planned for Tuesday out of respect for the late pontiff.

A ballot is dropped into a box in Sydney — Around half of votes are expected to be cast before the election date (Mark Baker/AP)

Flags were flown at half-mast from government buildings across the country, where a 2021 census found 20% of the population were Catholics.

Mr Albanese was raised as a Catholic but chose to be sworn in as prime minister when elected in 2022 by making a secular affirmation rather than by taking an oath on a Bible.

Mr Albanese, who has described himself as a “flawed Catholic”, attended a mass in honour of the Pope in Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral on Tuesday morning.

“I try not to talk about my faith in public,” Mr Albanese said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton, right, during a second leaders’ debate — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, and opposition leader Peter Dutton have taken part in leaders’ debates (AAP Image via AP)

“At times like this, I think what people do is they draw on who they are and certainly my Catholicism is just a part of me,” he added.

Mr Albanese and Mr Dutton, who leads the conservative Liberal Party, were meeting in Sydney later on Tuesday for the third televised leaders’ debate of the campaign.

Mr Dutton, who was raised by a Catholic father and Protestant mother and attended an Anglican school, attended a Mass on Tuesday afternoon at Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral.

“I don’t think it’s a day for overt politicking at all. I think that the day is best spent reflecting,” Mr Dutton said.

People cast their ballots at a polling station in Sydney — The major parties are both predicting a close election result (Mark Baker/AP)

“I don’t think there’s a place for the body blows of politics today. I think it’s a very different day from that,” he added.

Mr Albanese’s centre-left Labour Party is seeking a second three-year term.

The government held a narrow majority of 78 seats out of 151 in the House of Representatives, where parties form administrations during their first term.

The lower chamber will shrink to 150 seats after the election due to redistributions.

The major parties are both predicting a close election result.