Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Nothing in it on eve of Australian election

Updated at 10:24 pm on 20 August 2010

The contest appears evenly split between the Labor Party and the Coalition on the eve of the Australian general election.

Australia's election campaign has just a few more hours to run before voters go to the polls on Saturday to decide which party will govern the country.

Latest opinion polls show it is neck and neck, with the prospect there could be a hung parliament after the election, Radio New Zealand's political editor reports.

Coalition leader Tony Abbott began a non-stop 36-hour campaign blitz on Thursday night as he tried to win support from undecided voters in key marginal seats.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has also been campaigning hard on Friday also in marginal seats and has warned the election will be a cliff-hanger.

Ms Gillard has the most at stake. If Labor loses, she will have to take the blame and her ousting of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will look like one of politics' great mistakes.

According to a survey by Newspoll for The Australian on Friday, voters were split 50-50 between the two main parties.

A Newspoll survey on Monday had put Labor at 52% and the Liberals at 48%.

However, most analysts still expect Labor to hang on to power for a second three-year term with a narrow majority.

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