An emotional Anthony Albanese says his late mother would be "proud as punch" that he was on the cusp of becoming Australia's next prime minister after coming from such humble beginnings.
Speaking to reporters in Adelaide, the Labor leader spoke of his mother's "courage" and how his political rise was a tribute to Australia's multiculturalism.
"The fact that young kid is now running for prime minister says a lot about her and her courage, but also says a lot about this country," he said on Friday.
"(It says a lot) that someone from those beginnings, someone can stand before you today, hoping to be elected prime minister of this country tomorrow."
The opposition leader has spoken frequently of his upbringing in public housing in Sydney, raised by a single mother, throughout the six-week election campaign.
Mr Albanese said Saturday's election had extra significance, with the possibility of the first prime minister being elected from a non Anglo-Celtic background.
"We give people from the humblest beginnings the best opportunity in life, and I pay tribute to my mum, but also pay tribute to others who've helped me out along the way, no one gets to this spot by themselves," he said.
The Labor leader made the comments while campaigning in Adelaide on the last day before the election, visiting a school in the marginal seat of Boothby where he was mobbed by students.
Mr Albanese campaigned alongside former prime minister Julia Gillard, who made a rare appearance to make a pitch for a change of government, with a direct message to women to vote Labor.
"I want to see for this country a government that cares about, values and includes women and I know that a government led by Albo will do precisely that," she said.
Ms Gillard, who was prime minister during the last minority government, said Mr Albanese did not need advice from her on dealing with a hung parliament.
With the polls tightening and the prospect of a hung parliament looming, Mr Albanese said Labor was seeking a majority government.
"It's very clear that a whole lot of people who voted Liberal their whole lives have walked away from the Liberal Party," he said.
"They feel their party has walked away from them, that the values that they hold about individual liberty have been trashed."
Earlier, Mr Albanese visited a coffee shop with Ms Gillard in the Adelaide seat of Sturt, which the Liberals hold by 6.9 per cent.
The Adelaide coffee shop was the first stop of a three-state campaign blitz by Mr Albanese, who is hitting the ground running before polling begins on Saturday.
The Labor leader then made a fly-in visit to the marginal seat of Bass in Launceston, where he visited a pre-poll centre on Friday afternoon.
Mr Albanese was campaigning with Labor candidate Ross Hart, who is hoping to win the seat back from the coalition.
The seat is currently held by Liberal MP Bridget Archer, who was handing out how to vote cards at the pre-poll centre when Mr Albanese arrived.
The opposition leader will then fly to Victoria, where he is expected to visit several marginal seats in Melbourne.
Australian Associated Press
