(CNN) -- Australia's top candidates for prime minister campaigned furiously Friday -- election eve -- as incumbent Julia Gillard was tied with coalition challenger Tony Abbott in a national opinion poll based on the country's complicated preferential voting system.
In Saturday's election, Gillard is the candidate of the left-of-center Labor Party; Abbott represents a conservative coalition.
The Newspoll published Friday morning puts the two political blocs at 50-50.
"People would have seen the polls today and what the polls are telling them is there is a very, very real risk that they will wake up on Sunday and Mr. Abbott will be prime minister," Gillard told the Nine Network's "Today" show Friday morning about the choice facing Australian voters. CNN
