Australians go to the polls on Saturday to elect the country's 42nd parliament, while the latest poll suggests a cliffhanger.
The Newspoll opinion survey published on Saturday showed opposition Labor Party leads the ruling Coalition by a narrowing gap of 52 to 48.
The election will be a test for voters to choose between Prime Minister John Howard's strategy on economic terms and a new leadership of Labor leader Kevin Rudd.
The Coalition has boasted the economic achievements during its eleven-and-half years of ruling, which Howard described as "the best years yet for this nation."
"If you change the government you will change the direction of the country," Howard has said.
But the Coalition has trailed in opinion polls when Labor criticizes Howard and his team of being outdated in ideas and calls on voters to choose the new leadership of Rudd.
"After 11 years it's now time to turn the page on this government. It's time for a new chapter in our nation's history to begin," Rudd said during the election campaign.
Labor has attacked Howard and his team on economic matters like their unpopular labor laws and rising interest rates, vowing new measures in industry relations, climate change, education and health.
In contrast to the Coalition, Rudd has promised withdrawal of Australia's combat troops out of Iraq and ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.
Howard also faces a tough contest against Labor's popular journalist Maxine Mckew in his seat of Bennelong, as opinion survey showed a narrow gap between the two, triggering a talk that he may lose the seat.
About 13.6 million voters will choose from 1,421 candidates for all the 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 of the 76-member Senate.
A total of 7,723 polling booths will open between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time gradually across the country.
Labor needs a swing of 16 additional seats in the House of Representatives to beat the Liberal-National coalition and form a majority government.
(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2007)
