Crocodile tips Aussie PM Turnbull to win election

Burt, a five-metre-long (16.4-foot-long) saltwater crocodile aged more than 80 years, took his time to choose between Turnbull and Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten.

“He tends to have a think about these decisions,” James Robinson of Crocosaurus Cove in the northern city of Darwin, where Burt lives, told AFP.

Images of the two leaders were hung off ropes above a pool where the croc was swimming, with a chunk of fish attached below each of the photos.

“It took him about six minutes to pick his winner, taking a couple of snaps at each one beforehand, before actually deciding that, ‘yup, I’m gonna pull down Malcolm Turnbull’s picture’.”

The 700-kilogramme (1,545-pound) croc — a “confirmed bachelor” that has eaten three girlfriends — is not the first reptile at the facility to make an election prediction.

Big Wendell accurately choose Tony Abbott as the winner three years ago and Harry correctly picked Julia Gillard in 2010, Robinson said.

Numerous “psychic” creatures have followed Germany’s Paul the Octopus, the cephalopod from the 2010 World Cup that successfully tipped eight-straight matches in the football competition.

The poll on Saturday is tipped to be a close race between Turnbull and Shorten.

Turnbull, who heads the ruling Liberal-National coalition, on Thursday told the local Northern Territory News voters should “side with Burt… and choose your Country Liberal candidate”.

But Shorten was quick to bite back, telling the newspaper that “not even a crocodile would swallow” Turnbull winning the election.

“My team… are running an excellent campaign… Burt should be paying more attention,” he added.

Saltwater crocodiles, which can grow up to seven metres long and weigh more than a tonne, are common in northern Australia.