Australians head to the polls to elect new Prime Minister

Tony Abott (left) Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister (right)

Australian's are casting their ballots in a general election which will determine the country's new Prime Minister. The polls are a heated contest between Labor Party Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who replaced Julia Gillard just months ago, and opposition leader of the Liberal-National coalition Tony Abbott. The rivals are split on how to tackle the budget deficit, but both pledged to take tough action on asylum-seekers. Polling stations in eastern Australia opened at 08.00 local time and are set to close at 18.00. Voting in Western states will end two hours later, due to the time zone difference. All citizens must be over 18 to vote. The two leading candidates made their final push on the campaign trial on Friday, with both trying to persuade undecided voters to support them. The Prime Minister said his priority was "jobs, more jobs and jobs, health, hospitals and broadband, and to keep support for cost of living pressures". Opposition leader Mr Abbott told Australians that his coalition would: "end the waste, stop the boats, and build roads of the 21st Century" and warned against voting for the Labor Party of Kevin Rudd: "[The] only way to have a new way is to choose a new government".