Cost of living in focus as Australia's election race hits final stretch

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison criss-crossed the country in a final day of campaigning, insisting he could still win Saturday's election despite polls pointing to a change of government or hung parliament.

Morrison and Labor Opposition leader Anthony Albanese targeted marginal seats in the final 48 hours of the six-week campaign as data showed wages growth being outstripped by inflation, and record low unemployment - fodder for competing claims on who would best manage the economy.

An Ipsos opinion poll published by the Australian Financial Review showed Labor leading Morrison's ruling Liberal-National coalition 53% to 47% on a two-party preferred basis, where