<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>340808</docID> <postdate>2025-03-21 09:51:17</postdate> <headline>Major parties neck and neck as election draws closer</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-340809" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250320137768881266-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="507" /></p> <caption>YouGov polling shows the major parties have drawn level as the federal election looms. (Joanna Kordina/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Andrew Brown</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Labor and the coalition have drawn level with voters as the prime minister prepares to call the federal election.</strong></p> <p>The latest YouGov poll provided to AAP shows the opposition clawing back ground on the government, with the major parties tied 50-50 on a two-party preferred basis.</p> <p>The result comes after two weeks of Labor holding a narrow 51 to 49 per cent lead in the polls, off the back of the response to ex-tropical cyclone Alfred and public reaction to the government's backing of Ukraine.</p> <p>While the coalition gained ground in the lead-up to the election, Anthony Albanese is still ahead of Peter Dutton as preferred prime minister.</p> <p>The poll showed 45 per cent of those surveyed backed Mr Albanese as preferred leader compared to 40 per cent for Mr Dutton.</p> <p>YouGov's director of public data Paul Smith said the election would be tight.</p> <p>"It is a very close race but the prime minister has now consolidated his lead as preferred leader and that is significant," he told AAP.</p> <p>Labor's primary vote remains unchanged since the last poll at 31 per cent.</p> <p>However, the coalition has increased its voter share, gaining one point to 37 per cent.</p> <p>The primary vote also went backwards by half a percentage point for the Greens and One Nation, down to 13 and seven per cent respectively, while independents also fell by one point to eight per cent.</p> <p>Mining magnate Clive Palmer's Trumpet of Patriots party stands at just one per cent.</p> <p>The YouGov poll also showed Mr Dutton retaking the lead for satisfaction among voters.</p> <p>The opposition leader's satisfaction is at minus five per cent, with 42 per cent satisfied and 47 per cent dissatisfied.</p> <p>Mr Albanese's net satisfaction stands at minus nine per cent, with 41 per cent satisfied and 50 per cent dissatisfied.</p> <p>The polling comes as Labor prepares to hand down its fourth federal budget on Tuesday, which is set to show a deficit in the country's finances after back-to-back surpluses.</p> <p>The financial outlook prompted many to forecast the government would not deliver a budget and would instead call an election.</p> <p>However, the threat from Alfred in Queensland and northern NSW prompted Mr Albanese to defer his plans to visit the governor-general.</p> <p>The election must be held by May 17, with Mr Albanese expected to call the poll in the days after the budget.</p> <p>The YouGov poll surveyed 1500 people between March 14 and Wednesday, with a margin of error of 3.4 per cent.</p> </body>