In an election centered on wage growth and cost-of-living pressures, opposition leader Anthony Albanese failed to respond to questions about unemployment numbers and interest rates as the campaign for the upcoming election on May 21 began. Prime Minister Morrison criticized the Labour Party's ability to manage money and lack of economic plan, emphasizing the economic opportunities post-coronavirus. Polls released on Monday showed Labour ahead of Morrison's coalition, despite Morrison maintaining his lead as the preferred leader. Albanese, addressing his economic data mistake, issued an apology and entered damage control mode. He quoted Taylor Swift's hit song to say he will "Shake it off" after being bombarded with questions about whether a mistake would cost Labor the election. Albanese emphasized that he takes responsibility for his actions and will own up to any mistakes. Morrison highlighted his government's achievements in reducing the unemployment rate despite various challenges. Initially, Albanese had stated that he believed the current rate was around 5.4%. Morrison referenced cricket when he mentioned having a strong position and plans to boost job creation for a stronger economy. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg stated that new jobs would be created across various sectors of the economy. Australia's unemployment rate is expected to drop below 3% sooner than predicted by the central bank, with some economists even forecasting it to go below the budget forecast of 3.75%. Although wage growth is expected to increase, it may not be enough to keep up with inflation, resulting in a decrease in real incomes for the year. In order to appease upset voters, the budget in March raised a tax break for 10 million low- and middle-income earners and provided one-time cash payments for pensioners, as well as a temporary reduction in fuel taxes.