Newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in his victory speech acknowledged Barton MP Linda Burney as Australia's new Indigenous Affairs Minister and committed the government to establishing a constitutional voice for Indigenous people.
"On behalf of the Australian Labor Party I commit to the Uluru Statement from the Heart," Mr Albanese said.
We can acknowledge the patient and gracious call for a Voice enshrined in our constitution, he said.aw
"The Australian people have voted for change. No matter how you voted today, the government I lead will work for everyone one of you every day."
Earlier:
St George voters feel a change of seasons
The skies were overcast but the polling booth at Hurstville Senior Citizens' Centre was a sea of blue, green, yellow and red today as volunteers of the various candidates handed out how to vote flyers.
They were vying fo the attention of voters who had left their decision to the last minute.
It reflected the wider mood of thes electorate with polling saying the the results could go down to the wire.
Meanwhile, volunteers at Hurstville Public School were experiencing a quiet afternoon with one Labor volunteer saying this reflected pre-poll voting patterns.
At Carlton Public School people queued for up to 90 minutes at 11am in the rain waiting to cast their vote.
"People were standing in the rain without umbrellas. They were determined to have their vote," one volunteer said.
"The weather was miserable but people seemed cheery and determined.
"We saw only a handful of Liberal volunteers at the Carlton Public School," one Labor volunteer said. "But there were a lot of UAP volunteers."
There were reports of shouting between UAP volunteers and The Greens.
In Barton,by 7pm scrutineers showed an early swing of 3.5 per cent in the primary vote.
At Kingsgrove RSL Club, Barton MP Linda Burney relayed the updates to the count to a room fully of cheering volunteers and supporters.
Last week she was being circumspect but today she was feeling a lot more positive.
"Today in Barton the mood was very positive at the polling booths," Ms Burney said.
Ms Burney was comfortably re-elected for a third term with the vote at close of counting: Coalition 55, ALP 72, other 11.
