On Saturday, Australians go to the polls, with opinion polls showing the opposition Labor Party marginally ahead of the ruling conservative coalition, while a strong showing by climate-focused independents might result in a hung parliament.

Centre-left After nine years in opposition, Labor had a comfortable advantage coming into the campaign, but recent polls showed Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Liberal-National coalition closing the gap in the final weeks of a gruelling six-week campaign.

Labor’s advantage over the incumbent coalition on a two-party preferred basis dipped a point to 53-47 in a Newspoll survey published on Election Day, generally in line with previous election surveys.

In-person voting began at 8 a.m. (2200 GMT Friday) at polling booths in suburban schools, seashore pavilions, and outback halls and will end at 6 p.m. (0800 GMT).

In the last two days of a campaign driven by growing living expenses, climate change, national security, and integrity, Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese undertook whistle-stop visits throughout marginal seats.

Morrison has made the country’s lowest unemployment rates in nearly half a century the cornerstone of his campaign’s final hours, while Labor focused on soaring inflation and weak wage growth. Inflation has grown twice as quickly as salaries, resulting in a negative real income.

“People are really struggling and this government is totally out of touch,” Albanese told ABC television on Saturday. “This country cannot afford three more years of the same … give Labor a crack.”

“That only makes more pressure on cost of living and ultimately means higher taxes because when (Labor) can’t manage money, they always come after yours,” he told Channel Nine.

Several so-called “teal independents” are targeting crucial Liberal-held seats, pushing for action on climate change in the aftermath of some of Australia’s worst floods and fires.

The Liberal-National alliance held 76 of the 151 lower house seats in the previous parliament, while Labor held 68, with seven minor party and independent members.

Voting is mandatory, and preliminary results should be available by Saturday evening, however the Australian Electoral Commission has warned that if the race is tight, a clear winner may not emerge quickly due to the time necessary to tally nearly 3 million postal ballots.