Labor leader Bill Shorten has described Fiona McLeod, his candidate for the Higgins in Melbourne, as a "rock star" with reports suggesting she might actually win blue ribbon Liberal seat.
Mr Shorten says there are a lot of disillusioned voters in Higgins where Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O'Dwyer is retiring from a seat once held by Australia's longest-serving Liberal treasurer Peter Costello.
"There is a mood for change," Mr Shorten told ABC television's Insiders program on Sunday.
Mr Shorten said Ms McLeod, a lawyer, had a "remarkable" CV and was a "tip-top candidate".
Labor candidate for Higgins, Fiona McLeod, could snare an upset win in the blue-ribbon Liberal seat. Source: AAP
An influx of young voters could be fuelling discontent in the seat with climate change and the dumping of Malcolm Turnbull factors putting the government under pressure.
The Liberals are running paediatrician Katie Allen against Ms McLeod and the Greens' Jason Ball.
According to The Sunday Age, Labor's internal polling recently placed the coalition about 51 to 49 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
Liberal sources told the newspaper "the mood has turned" in the electorate over the past two months.
Ms O'Dwyer won the seat with a 7.4 per cent margin over the Greens at the 2016 election.
Higgins has been Liberal-held since its 1949 inception. Former Liberal prime ministers Harold Holt and John Gorton also held the seat.
Victoria is a key battleground for Saturday's election, with Labor eyeing gains which could help make Mr Shorten prime minister.
