Australia's first female prime minister was appointed three weeks ago by the ruling Labor party as the government faced electoral defeat and has resurrected voter support to put Labor narrowly ahead in opinion polls. Conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott needs to win only nine seats to form a government with four independents or 13 seats to take office outright.

Australia's robust economy, which dodged recession in 2009 and emerged strong from the global financial crisis, will be the key to the 2010 election. And Gillard has said she would seek re-election on a platform of creating jobs.

But while the government has said it will return a budget surplus by 2013, opinion polls show voters view the opposition as better economic managers, despite Labor steering the economy through the global financial crisis and avoiding recession.

The opposition has also vowed to return to a budget surplus and keep a cap on government spending.