Freeway cash splash as poll pitch enters the fast lane

Anthony Albanese is back in Western Australia for the second time in weeks, wooing voters with big-spending election pledges as the major parties hone in on the key battleground state.

The prime minister announced $350 million to widen the Kwinana Freeway if elected in a bid to ease congestion for commuters, with state Labor promising to match the funding for a total of $700 million.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton later said the coalition would match the pledge if it wins government.

Mr Albanese visited WA on Monday, returning to the state after he embarked on a whirlwind blitz earlier in January.

A federal election must be held by May 17 and a new poll shows the prime minister’s approval ratings continue to slide.

The latest Newspoll revealed 53 per cent of voters thought the opposition would win at the election, in its own right or as a minority, compared to 47 per cent for Labor.

The coalition has increased its lead on the government on a two-party preferred basis to 51-49 per cent, a rise of one percentage point compared to the previous poll.

The prime minister said his government was governing in the interests of all Australians and was building the nation’s future.

“There’ll be polls and the commentators will commentate on them, and certainly, what I understand is I don’t take election wins for granted,” he told reporters.

“We are working hard and fighting hard every day, not because it matters who drives the car with the flag on it, because what matters is what governments do for people and what they do for our country’s future.”

Labor will be eyeing off Moore, which is WA’s most hotly contested seat and held by the Liberal Party on a 0.9 per cent margin.

Moore MP Ian Goodenough lost a preselection contest for his federal seat and will run as an independent.

Mr Albanese pointed to the state as a future economic powerhouse.

“Western Australia will continue to be such a key role in driving national economic growth as one of the engine rooms of our national economy,” he said.

Mr Dutton is also in Western Australia as the coalition seeks to hang onto its seats, while trying win back the electorate of Curtin from independent MP Kate Chaney.