Australia's leaders are retreating to their preferred policy patches as a pair of polls suggest the election is tightening.
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The Ipsos poll published in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age on Sunday night had Labor ahead 52-48, a one-point drop from the result a month earlier.
But The Australian's Newspoll, also released late on Sunday, put the figures the same as a week ago, at 51-49 to Labor, albeit with a reduced primary vote.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will start Monday in Sydney, spruiking the coalition's help for the nation's businesses, including a new plan for a $50 million fund to give manufacturers incentives to invest in more modern technology.
Ultimately, the government's initial investment is expected to attract $110 million from the manufacturing industry as it is given out in funding-matched grants.
That would be good news for Australians looking for a job, Science Minister Karen Andrews says.
"We want to keep our manufacturers at the cutting edge so they can create more jobs," she said.
The coalition also wants to reinvigorate the 'Australian Made' campaign, to encourage more foreigners to buy products made down under.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten will also start the day in Sydney, likely visiting a hospital as he talks up his party's commitment of $500 million to upgrade the nation's emergency departments and get them more staff.
Labor has released a state-by-state breakdown of where it will spend the money.
This shows the funding would cover the equivalent of 654 more beds, 1812 doctors or 3714 nurses in NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia.
The prime minister is likely to accuse his Labor rival of revealing too little about what his policies will cost at Sunday's Labor campaign launch in Brisbane.
The opposition will deliver its full costings on Thursday or Friday.
And shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has fired back, writing to his Liberal counterpart Josh Frydenberg to demand the coalition ask Treasury to publish the cost of giving a tax cut to people earning more than $180,000.
The pair will face off at a debate at the National Press Club in Canberra at lunchtime.
The Liberal Party will hold its own campaign launch next Sunday, just a week out from the May 18 election
Australian Associated Press
