Labor leader Anthony Albanese said he is ready for the federal election to be formally called this weekend, saying he goes into the contest as the underdog.
"Labor has only won government three times from opposition since the Second World War. It is a mountain that Labor has to climb," he told reporters on Saturday in the Sydney suburb of Leichhardt, home to much of the local Italian community.
The Coalition government has been in power for nine years and holds a slim majority in the House of Representatives — 77 seats out of 151.
Mr Albanese said he expects it to be a challenging contest.
"The government goes into this election as favourites," he said. "Governments get re-elected much more often than government changes hands in this country, and Scott Morrison has a considerable advantage in going into this election."
He said the federal government needed to offer more details on its election policy platform.
"This government is out of puff, out of ideas, out of time — and it should be out of office, but that will be a decision for the Australian people at the election."
Asked to release more of Labor's policy platform, Mr Albanese said some major announcements are forthcoming, and he pointed to announcements made on climate change, aged care and policies for women.
"We have national broadband policy out there. We have an infrastructure policy, we have a women's policy, industrial relations policy for secure work. We have a climate policy that will drive the economy. We have a policy for skills that includes 465,000 free TAFE places and 20,000 university places.
"We have a comprehensive suite of policies out there right now. We will have more to say in the coming weeks."
Mr Albanese indicated that a Labor government would seek options for permanent pathways for temporary workers such as chefs and those working in sectors with skills shortages.
"We will need temporary workers in areas where there are acute shortages," he said in response to questions on support for small businesses. "What we need as well is more pathways to permanency, so people have security."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to visit the governor-general this weekend to set the formal election date for 14 May or 21 May.
The pathway to doing that was cleared after the High Court on Friday rejected an application for special leave to appeal against a NSW Court of Appeal decision on Mr Morrison's preselection candidates for key seats.
