Early exit polls report opposition romp in Australia

Early exit polls taken in Australia's national election Saturday showed the Tony Abbott-led conservative opposition romping to victory over Kevin Rudd's Labor Party.

A Sky News exit poll released before voting was to end at 6:00 pm (0800 GMT) predicted that the Liberal/Nationals would gain a massive 25 seats to sweep 97 of the 150 seats in the lower House of Representatives.

The survey, carried out by Newspoll, forecast Labor would lose 21 to be left with just 51. The independents would have two seats.

On a two-party basis, the coalition would take 53 percent of the vote to Labour's 47 percent.

A separate Morgan-Channel Ten exit poll predicted Abbott's coalition would sweep to victory with 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent for Labor on a two-party basis.

In the primary vote, which takes into account the minor parties and independents, the coalition had 42.5 percent to Labor's 33.5 percent, it showed.

The Greens Party would garner 11 percent and the newly-established Palmer United Party, run by colourful billionaire Clive Palmer, five percent, with "others" taking the rest.

A Newspoll published before voting started indicated Abbott was ahead 54 to 46 percent on a two-party basis, the same as a Nielsen poll.

That represented a four percentage point swing since the last election in 2010.

A relaxed Abbott spent Saturday morning campaigning in Sydney while a subdued Rudd kept a lower profile in his home town of Brisbane, voting in the early afternoon.