Nine network: Election guide

Nine’s coverage of the Election campaign begins as early as 4pm on Saturday AEST, two hours before booths close.

It kicks off with Georgie Gardner, before Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson take over at 5pm. Nine’s coverage is bolstered by having the esteemed Laurie Oakes as its chief political expert.

Nine News has assembled the most experienced team of presenters, reporters and analysts of any network for its coverage of the 2013 Federal election on Saturday.

The election day coverage will begin at 4.00pm with a Nine News national bulletin presented by Georgie Gardner.

At 5.00pm Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson will bring viewers the most comprehensive reporting and analysis of the day’s results in AUSTRALIA DECIDES 2013.

Leading Nine’s panel of experts is Walkley Award-winning journalist and Nine News Political Editor Laurie Oakes, Australia’s No. 1 political journalist. Oakes is without peer in the Canberra press gallery with his record in news-breaking and commentary.

Joining Oakes on the panel is Peter Costello, seen as one of the most successful Treasurers Australia has known. Having served the Liberal Party both in government and opposition, Costello knows what would be required of an Abbott government to implement policy change and get the economy moving.

An insight into the inner workings of the ALP will come from Simon Crean, who has also served his party in government and opposition.

Further assessment of the polling results will be provided by Amanda Vanstone. As a senator, Vanstone held several portfolios in the Howard government and her tenure as Minister for Immigration makes her perfectly placed to comment on what steps the winning party will need to take to deal with the contentious issue of asylum seekers.

Rounding out the panel is Lachlan Harris, a former key adviser to Kevin Rudd who was instrumental in bringing the ALP to power in 2007.

Nine’s cameras and team of experts will span the length and breadth of the country to report on election day.

Tracy Grimshaw will be on location with the Abbott camp in Sydney, while Peter Overton will be reporting live from Rudd’s election HQ in Brisbane.

They will be supported by Nine News presenters and senior reporters, including Alicia Loxley, Kate Collins, Andrew Lofthouse, Melissa Downes, Deborah Knight, Brett McLeod and Amelia Adams who will all be reporting from key marginal seats across Australia.

Nine’s coverage will also use cutting-edge technology to bring voting results to viewers faster than ever before.

And Ross Greenwood will present a state-of-the-art innovation for social media which will bring the public’s views and opinions to the screen, right up to the second.

Localised analysis will also be extensively covered in all Nine News bulletins at 6.00pm.

Ross Greenwood will present a state-of-the-art innovation with regards to social media, which will bring the public’s views to screen, right up to the second.