Angry voters left Australia's conservative government doubting it could hold one of its safest seats today in a ferocious backlash ahead of a national election due later this year.
With most of the vote counted in a by-election in the parliamentary seat of Ryan, voters had turned on Prime Minister John Howard's Liberal/National coalition with a swing against his candidate of more than nine percent.
A swing of this sort (in the national election) would just wipe out the government, respected electoral analyst Mr Antony Green said on Australian Broadcasting Corp television.
But the result in Ryan was too close to call.
The result will depend on postal and pre-poll votes which we will commence counting tomorrow, election official Mr Bob Longland said.
Howard has already been humiliated twice this year in state parliamentary elections as voters demonstrate their anger over tax changes and free market reforms.
He has responded with concessions including cuts in petrol taxes and extra money for new home buyers, but the intensifying political uncertainty has helped push the Australian dollar to record lows below 50 US cents in the past week.