Anthony Albanese‘s office has bungled his federal election call and pulled the trigger too soon before his official announcement which is expected tomorrow.
The PM is set to call the election on Friday after months of speculation about the date when millions will head to the polls.
But the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet jumped the gun and sent out an official social media post claiming the government was now in ‘caretaker’ mode.
That only happens after the election has been called – and the PM is still 24 hours away from confirming the date.
The post on X was swiftly deleted after the blunder was spotted.
Calling the election on Friday would steal attention from Opposition leader Peter Dutton‘s Budget reply speech on Thursday night.
Labor insiders said the Prime Minister will go to Governor-General Sam Mostyn’s home in Canberra on Friday morning to ask her to dissolve parliament.
Mr Albanese had been due to make the journey to Yarralumla earlier this month to call an election for April 12, but that plan was derailed due to Cyclone Alfred.
Anthony Albanese (pictured) is set to call the election on Friday after months of speculation about the date when millions will head to the polls
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet jumped the gun and sent out an official social media post claiming the government was now in ‘caretaker’ mode.
Mr Dutton’s Budget-in-reply speech in parliament on Thursday was thought likely to reveal the Coalition’s policies on housing, migration and gas supply.
But such policy details would get lost in Friday morning’s online, TV and radio coverage if everyone is talking about the federal election date being announced.
Mr Albanese is said to favour a five-week campaign, which means Australians are likely to be going to the polls on Saturday, May 3, but the campaign could still stretch to May 10 or May 17.
With pre-polling and postal voting now a major part of Australian elections, some people will be able to vote in just over two weeks from now.
The Coalition has been on par or ahead of Labor in polling for much of the last year, though its lead has started to narrow.
That, and the fact that it’s almost 100 years since an Australian government was defeated after one term in power, has made Labor the bookies’ favourites to win.
A senior Labor cabinet minister told Nine newspapers that Mr Albanese reckoned the government is looking good to retain power.
‘If we are on 50-50 at the start of the campaign, that’s potentially an election-winning (majority) for a government,’ Mr Albanese reportedly said.
‘We think there is a chance the wheels will fall off completely for them,’ the source said.
‘They have nothing out there as policy besides nuclear power and free lunches and they’re doing nothing to expand their base.’
In Tuesday’s federal Budget, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced that every taxpayer will get a tax cut in 2026 and 2027, to top up the stage three tax cuts which began last July.
More to come…
