By Kat Wong and Andrew Brown in Canberra

As the prime minister looks to shore up support in Western Australia, senior ministers have brushed aside polling showing the coalition on track to win the most seats at the upcoming federal election.

Anthony Albanese will make a three-day visit to WA, with the state proving crucial to Labor’s 2022 election victory.

However, polling by Redbridge has shown the path to a second term for the government looking difficult, indicating Labor would not be able to govern in its own right.

The polling showed the coalition would win 64 seats to Labor’s 59, while a further 14 seats were too close to call.

The remaining 13 seats were given to independents or minor parties.

Education Minister Jason Clare said the election, due to be held by May, would be close, but he was not fazed by the polling.

“Over the next few months, people are going to have a good hard look at (Opposition Leader) Peter Dutton,” he told Seven’s Sunrise program on Friday.

“They’re going to kick the Dutton tyres and they’re going to find out it’s a bit of lemon.

“The election will be tight… there’ll be a choice between our Labor government, which is cutting everyone’s taxes and lifting wages, or Peter Dutton’s Liberals that, to be frank, don’t have any ideas.”

Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley said polling had followed a shift in voter sentiment against the government.

“People have had a long, hard look at Anthony Albanese… since the last election, they haven’t liked what they’ve seen,” she told Seven’s Sunrise.

“Looking at this prime minister and the complete lack of leadership, all the promises he made, and the realities, it’s clear that we need a change, and a coalition government will deliver that.”

The prime minister’s visit to WA will coincide with him spruiking a $21 million investment in clean energy incentives for the state’s critical minerals sector.

WA has always been a mining powerhouse and even minor changes to the industry can reverberate through the state’s economy.

The state was also key to Labor’s victory at the 2022 federal election, with the party picking up four seats from the coalition.

Mr Albanese’s grants are part of his government’s signature initiative called the Future Made in Australia, a manufacturing package aimed at funding clean energy projects and creating jobs in the decarbonisation transition.

Though he is making the announcement from WA, the grants have been allocated to companies in Queensland and South Australia as well, and are expected to create almost 400 new jobs.

“A strong resources sector means a healthy economy and good, well paid local jobs,” Mr Albanese said.

It comes as mining magnate Clive Palmer announced his United Australia Party would look to re-register the organisation ahead of the election.

Mr Palmer voluntarily deregistered the party in 2022, but said he would lodge a challenge in the High Court to allow for candidates to run under the UAP banner at the 2025 poll.

“The Electoral Act states that a deregistered party that seeks re-registration can only contest the election after next. We don’t believe this is conducive to running a free and fair election as our constitution demands,” he said.

Mr Palmer spent more than $120 million in campaigning during the 2022 election, which resulted in just one senator, Victorian Ralph Babet, being elected.