PM’s two big Qld targets revealed as election date all but set

Queenslanders are set to visited by a flurry of federal politicians in the new year after a huge hint about the date of the next election was dropped.

Queenslanders will be under siege from visiting politicians in the new year, with an early May election now looking likely.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed on Monday afternoon that there will be an early budget held on March 29 next year, setting election speculation into overdrive.

Queensland will become a battleground between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese, with the state vital in determining who gets the keys to the Lodge.

With a minimum of 33 days required between the election writs being issued and election day, Australians are most likely headed to the polls on May 7 or 14, with May 21 the latest possible date.

It has been 14 years since an Australian Prime Minister made it through a whole term of parliament without being removed and replaced by their own party.

There had been speculation that the election would be called for either March or May, with the latest date allowed being May 21.

It is still possible for Mr Morrison to call an earlier election if he chooses.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Both leaders have been kept out of Queensland due to state border restrictions, but will be making their presence felt once the state opens up on December 17.

The LNP-held seats of Flynn and Longman are shaping up as the two big targets. The government’s razor-thin majority means the election could turn on the outcome of those electorates.

Flynn is currently held by Ken O’Dowd, who is set to retire at the next election.

Colin Boyce will be running for the LNP in the seat, facing off against Labor candidate and current Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett.

The LNP’s Terry Young currently holds the seat of Longman. He’ll got up against Labor’s Rebecca Fanning come election time.

Mr Morrison has been promising he would be a “full-termer” since October 2020, when he declared “elections are too hard to win” to call early.

In December 2018 Mr Morrison set down an early April 2 budget, before calling a May 18, 2019 election.

Labor frontbench MP Tony Burke said there were just seven days set down for sitting days in February and three days in March, including budget week.

“I admit 10 sitting days is enough for the government to get through its whole agenda, but in terms of scrutiny … this is a calendar for a government that wants to hide from scrutiny,” he said.

“If there was ever an active moment that the government gave up, this is it.”

The earliest an election could have been held was August 7, this year, while the latest in May 21, next year.

Mr Morrison is now set to be the first Australian Prime Minister to go full-term, without being removed by his own party, since John Howard in 2007.