Scott Morrison visits Government House to call May 18 poll

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called the federal election for May 18 with a pledge to voters to "make your life easier" by ensuring better economic growth and posting healthy budget surpluses that can pay for health and education.

Mr Morrison declared the election to be about "trust" and the economic record of the Liberals and Nationals in power in contrast to the higher taxes proposed by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called an election for May 18.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Mr Shorten countered with a pledge to voters to give them a "fair go" without the division of the Coalition over the past six years.

In a sign of Labor's confidence as the campaign begins, Mr Shorten made his opening remarks from a backyard in the Melbourne suburb of Mitcham in the electorate of Deakin, an electorate once regarded as safe for the Liberals but now winnable for Labor after the government's long slump in the opinion polls.

Mr Morrison said the Coalition's record was that it had kept the economy strong and not increased taxes.

"This is how we will make your life easier in the years ahead," Mr Morrison said.

"This is how we will take the pressure off you and your family. There is more to do and a lot has got done, and we are getting on together with the job."

Mr Morrison opened the campaign from Parliament House less than two hours after visiting Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove at Yarralumla early on Thursday morning.

Mr Morrison insisted the election was about the future rather than the instability of the past, when asked why voters should reward an unstable government that has seen three prime ministers in six years.

He said the Liberal Party had changed its leadership rules, just as Labor had done to ensure no change in the Prime Minister in mid-term.

"So it is crystal clear, at this election, it is a choice between me as prime minister and Bill Shorten as prime minister. You vote for me, you'll get me. You vote for Bill Shorten and you'll get Bill Shorten," Mr Morrison said.

Schools, hospitals, medicines and roads would be "guaranteed" by a stronger economy under the Coalition without increasing taxes, the Prime Minister said at the press conference that also reprised one of the Liberal Party's most effective election rallying cries.

"The choice to be made by Australians on 18 May is like it always is at every election, and
that is: who do you trust to deliver that strong economy which your essential services rely on?" he said, in an argument also put by former prime minister John Howard when he called the 2004 election.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison departs Government House after meeting with Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove to ask for Parliament to be dissolved and the writs issued for an election.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

"Who do you trust to deliver the strong economy and the budget management that these services can be funded, that the business that you work for will be there in three years, in five years, in ten years?"

Mr Morrison repeatedly emphasised the contrast between the government and Labor on taxes, given Mr Shorten goes to the election with more than $200 billion in higher taxes over a decade because of his negative gearing, dividend imputation and family trust policies as well as his rejection of the government's personal income tax cuts.

"You will have a choice between a government that is lowering taxes, for all Australians, or Bill Shorten's Labor Party that will impose higher taxes that will weigh down our economy," Mr Morrison said.

"It's taken us more than five years to turn around Labor's budget mess. Now is not the
time to turn back."

Mr Shorten sought to tap into voter discontent with the division within the Coalition including the removal of Malcolm Turnbull last August.

"If you are dissatisfied with the last six years, if you want better than the last six years, if you want a fair go for all Australians, if you want a government who is united and not constantly trying to tear each other down, then vote Labor on May 18," he said.

Mr Shorten said the "case to vote Labor" was founded on its plans to deliver more jobs, better health and better education policies, as well as action on climate change and measures to drive energy prices down.

"We'll get on top of cost of living burdens and we'll get wages
moving again in this country," he said.

"We can manage the economy in the interests of working and middle class people."

The five-week campaign began soon after Mr Morrison visited Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in Canberra just before 7am on Thursday to set the polling date and seek the dissolution of Parliament.

The decision gives Australians about one week to enrol to vote or update their enrolments at the Australian Electoral Commission if they need to do so.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has urged voters to remove the government after “six years of instability” - including three prime ministers.

The Coalition goes into the campaign behind Labor in the opinion polls and the betting markets after two terms in office under Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Mr Morrison.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison leaves Government House on Thursday morning. Credit: AAP

Labor has held a lead over the Coalition in the polls for more than two and a half years, with this week’s Ipsos survey putting it ahead by 53 to 47 per cent in two-party terms.

While the government won 76 seats at the last election and held a narrow majority through much of the last term, it lost the seat of Wentworth after Mr Turnbull resigned and lost another member when Julia Banks quit the Liberals to sit as an independent.

ABC election analyst Antony Green estimates the government goes to the election with 73 seats following a redistribution in Victoria.

Mr Green estimates Labor has 72 seats as a result of the redistribution, a significant gain on the 69 seats it won at the last election. There are six independents seeking re-election.

The House of Representatives has been increased from 150 to 151 seats since the last election.

Australians are likely to have about one week to enrol to vote or update their enrolments.

Early voting opens about two weeks after the writs are issued.

It will be mandatory for all candidates to submit material to the Australian Electoral Commission to show they have renounced any right to foreign citizenship, although the commission will not vet this information.

AEC spokesman Phil Diak said there was a growing trend towards voters casting their ballots ahead of polling day, with about four million of these postal and pre-poll votes at the last election.