Opinion polls in Australia indicate the August 21 federal election will be a tight contest. The governing Labor party has asked voters to trust its economic expertise, while the conservative opposition argues the electorate must not be mislead by a spendthrift government. Immigration, education and health care have been concerns in the campaign but the overarching issue has been the economy. The Labor leaders led by Bob Hawke, Australia's third longest-serving prime minister, portray themselves as sound economic managers. They say Labor's massive stimulus packages helped Australia avoid recession while other advanced economies struggled during the global slowdown. The Liberal Party opposition leader, Tony Abbott, accuses the left-of-center government of wasting billions of dollars with unnecessary stimulus payments and frivolous efforts. He says that spending makes Australia more vulnerable to future global economic shocks.