Eerie feeling: The seats party insiders are sweating on
There’s an eerie feeling within both major parties. The PM is thriving on his underdog status as insiders reveal the seats they think are up for grabs, writes Tom Minear.
Analysis
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There’s an eerie feeling within both major parties on the final full day of campaigning.
Several national polls have suggested the race has tightened this week, and while Labor still has its nose in front, Scott Morrison seems to be thriving as the underdog yet again.
The Prime Minister’s momentum carries into Friday after the opposition released its costings, revealing an extra $8.4bn would be added to the deficit over four years.
The government is also on the attack about some of Labor’s numbers which it argues don’t quite stack up.
Anthony Albanese was on the back foot over the issue on Thursday, and Labor insiders are hoping he can reach the finish line without any more slips or trips.
Both leaders will criss-cross the country today and tomorrow, with Morrison’s last-ditch surge into Perth designed to capitalise on the sense that Labor’s vote may be softening in a state it had hoped to make big gains.
Albanese needs to pick up at least Swan and Pearce in Western Australia to have a hope of getting to the magic number of 76 seats, but some in the Coalition think they could hang on to Swan and maybe even flip Cowan – on a 0.83 per cent Labor margin – their way.
The time difference with WA means there’ll be a nervous wait for both sides to see the results on Saturday night.
Strategists on both sides think Boothby in South Australia and Reid in New South Wales will fall to Labor, which also needs to win seats such as Bennelong in NSW, Chisholm in Victoria and Brisbane in Queensland.
The Coalition doesn’t have as many obvious seats in play to gain, with Gilmore in NSW and Corangamite in Victoria the most likely, plus wildcards like Lingiari in the Northern Territory and maybe even Parramatta in NSW.
With a day to go, Labor is still seen to have a clearer path to victory.
But don’t be surprised if Australia is staring at the prospect of a hung parliament on Saturday night.
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Originally published as Eerie feeling: The seats party insiders are sweating on
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