Australia braces for too-close-to-call election

Australia braced for an election that was too close to call, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull warning of economic chaos if his gamble on an early poll backfires and leaves him without the outright majority he needs to enact major reforms.

The leader of Australia’s conservative coalition prompted today’s election by dissolving both houses of parliament in May, blaming intransigent independents in the upper house Senate for blocking his agenda.

New polls showed voters may return an even more unruly upper house.