▁safe ▁Liberal ▁seats ▁were ▁swing ing ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 4 . 6 ▁per ▁cent ▁with ▁safe ▁Labor ▁seats ▁swing ing ▁around ▁only ▁ 4 . 1 ▁points , ▁the ▁Labor ▁party ▁stood ▁to ▁potentially ▁end ▁up ▁with ▁a ▁maximum ▁of ▁ 1 0 6 ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 5 0 ▁lower ▁house ▁seats . ▁ ▁Pol ling ▁consist ently ▁showed ▁that ▁the ▁economy ▁and ▁national ▁security ▁were ▁the ▁Co al ition ' s ▁strong ▁areas . ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁an ▁I ps os ▁poll ▁showed ▁ 3 9 ▁per ▁cent ▁of ▁vot ers ▁thought ▁Labor ▁was ▁a ▁better ▁economic ▁manager , ▁compared ▁to ▁ 3 6 ▁per ▁cent ▁for ▁the ▁Co al ition , ▁with ▁ 2 5 ▁per ▁cent ▁und ec ided . ▁ ▁The ▁morning ▁of ▁the ▁election ▁announ cement , ▁a ▁special ▁Sun - Her ald ▁Ta ver ner ▁survey ▁of ▁ 9 7 9 ▁people ▁across ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁and ▁Victoria ▁had ▁been ▁released , ▁indicating ▁a ▁Labor ▁ 2 PP ▁of ▁ 5 9 ▁per ▁cent , ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 8 - ▁to ▁ 2 9 - year - old ▁category ▁voting ▁at ▁ 7 2 ▁per ▁cent . ▁The ▁fort night ly ▁New sp oll ▁was ▁released ▁the ▁day ▁after ▁the ▁election ▁was ▁called , ▁showing ▁the ▁ 2 PP ▁remaining ▁steady ▁at ▁Labor ▁ 5 6 – 4 4 ▁Liberal . ▁Howard ▁increased ▁his ▁Pre ferred ▁PM ▁rating ▁up ▁one ▁per ▁cent ▁to ▁ 3 9 ▁per ▁cent , ▁while