Australians head to the polls on July 2 for the first double-dissolution election in almost three decades.
Polls show it will be a tight election, despite high public expectations of Malcolm Turnbull's Liberal-Nationals government being returned.
Mr Turnbull's return to the Liberal leadership in September 2015 gave the coalition an initial sugar-hit.
But its stocks have slipped in recent months amid voter concern over the government's policy and economic direction.
MetaPoll's April 19 analysis of the most recent poll data put the coalition on 51.1 per cent of the two-party vote - down 2.4 percentage points on the 2013 election result but enough to retain government.
On that basis, the coalition would lose seven seats to drop to 83 and Labor would gain seven from 55 to 62.
Labor needs a national swing of about 4.5 per cent to achieve the 76 lower house seats necessary to form government.
Mr Turnbull has framed the election around stronger economic growth driven by his "ideas boom" and restoring the rule of law in the construction industry.
The Senate's blocking of a bill to reinstate the building industry watchdog was the trigger for the election.
His key warning about Labor is centred on its proposed negative gearing changes hammering house prices, carbon pricing pushing up power bills and a softer approach to people smugglers.
Labor leader Bill Shorten, a former Australian Workers Union boss, wants to fight on better funding for health and education, action on climate change and ensuring the rich and big corporations pay their fair share of tax.
The opposition has also been at pains to portray Mr Turnbull - a moderate within his party - of running on the agenda of his conservative predecessor Tony Abbott.
The election comes at an uncertain time in the Australian economy and government debt exceeding $424 billion.
Unemployment remains at the same level as it was when the coalition came to power in September 2013.
However, South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland - key battlegrounds for the election - are doing it tougher than other states and territories.
The Greens have vowed not to support the coalition if there is a hung parliament.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale is aiming to retain his party's 10 seats in the upper house and the lower house seat of Melbourne, while targeting a number of inner-metropolitan seats.
Senator Di Natale, who took over the leadership from Christine Milne, wants the government to raise more taxes and focus on clean energy to create jobs.
But the key question in the Senate will be whether the eight crossbenchers can hold their seats under a modified electoral system and retain the balance of power - which has frustrated the government over the past three years.
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