Australians will head to the polls on Saturday, May 3, after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this morning visited Government House in Canberra to dissolve Parliament and call the federal election. Source: ABC News.
With both Mr Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton laying down their competing visions for the next term of Parliament, the pair will now ready for a five-week campaign where they will seek to convince voters each is the right person to lead the country.
The cost of living is likely to dominate the campaign, with more than two years of high inflation putting the pinch on families and businesses, and each party offering its own answers on how to respond.
The stage is also set for a potentially tumultuous first week on the campaign trail, with a cash rate decision by the Reserve Bank due on Tuesday and US President Donald Trump’s threat of a new round of tariffs to be announced on April 2.
With just three seats to lose to force Labor into minority government, and 19 for the Coalition to pick up to be able to govern in its own right, pollsters have favoured a hung parliament as the most likely outcome.
But successive polls have also identified a larger-than-usual bloc of uncommitted voters, raising the stakes for each of the leaders this campaign.
Parliament has been frenetic with expectation of an imminent election, and with Mr Dutton delivering his Budget reply last night.
The most hotly contested seats are around Melbourne and Sydney’s outer suburbs, with polls suggesting those are among the likeliest to change hands and determine the election outcome.
However, both parties will have to campaign fiercely in every state and territory to guarantee enough seats to be able to govern — 76 seats are needed for an outright majority.
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May 3 federal election to be called by Anthony Albanese tomorrow morning (By Jake Evans, ABC News)
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