Polls suggest Morrison well in the fight

Fresh marginal seat polling suggests the Coalition is still in the fight in at least eight crucial swing seats.

Scott Morrison with Gilmore candidate Warren Mundine. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Fresh marginal seat polling suggests the Coalition is still in the fight in at least eight crucial swing seats in the eastern states, amid a swing of up to 6 per cent towards Labor in Victoria and the potential loss of the NSW central coast seat of Gilmore to the ALP.

In a boost for Scott Morrison, YouGov Galaxy polling suggests the Liberal Party will hold the Sydney seat of Reid and the Queensland seats of Flynn and Dickson, all of which were considered under threat from Labor.

The polls, conducted earlier this week for News Corp news­papers, suggest the Melbourne seats of Deakin and Higgins are also likely to remain in the Liberal column, despite significant swings towards opposition parties.

The surveys, which polled more than 500 voters per seat, suggest the Liberal-held electorates of La Trobe (Victoria) and Forde (Queensland), and the Labor-held seat of Herbert (Queensland), all remain too close to call.

Labor is tipped to take Gilmore, which high-profile candidate Warren Mundine is defending for the Liberal Party with 52 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.

YouGov Galaxy’s survey in Macquarie, northwest of Sydney, suggests Labor will retain the seat with 53 per cent of the two-party vote.

Scott Morrison, who has steadily pared back Labor’s national lead to 51-49 as measured by benchmark Newspoll, yesterday predicted the result tomorrow would be close.

“That is not something I think anyone was writing two months ago, six months ago, eight months ago or even longer,” the Prime Minister told the National Press Club in Canberra.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that this election is run and done. Don’t let anyone tell you that your vote doesn’t count because it will. Every single vote will count.

“You are ­empowered with this great and important choice.”

In his final major speech of the campaign, Bill Shorten also made a pitch to undecided voters.

“Never before has your decision and your vote been more ­important; never has the case for change been more clear or more urgent,” the Opposition Leader said. “The problems facing our ­nation are real, and they are ­growing.”

The YouGov Galaxy results suggest the Coalition is consolidating its support in Queensland, amid a surge in support for Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party, which is polling 11 per cent in Flynn and 14 per cent in Herbert.

The surveys also reinforce ­Liberal fears of the big swings ­facing the party in Victoria, where the party is defending five seats held by margins of less than 5 per cent.

In the formerly blue ribbon seat of Higgins, the survey suggests the Greens are sitting on a primary vote of 29 per cent, leaving that party’s candidate just behind Liberal Katie Allen after preferences, at 48-52 per cent.

Incumbent Liberal MP Michael Sukkar is tipped to hold on to his eastern Melbourne seat of Deakin with 51 per cent of the two-party vote, in the face of a 6 per cent swing against him.

The 52-48 survey result in Reid, which has been the top battleground seat having attracted five visits from each major party ­leader, reflects party polling, ­suggesting the ­Coalition is in with a fight in key western Sydney marginals.