March, April or May? Anthony Albanese weighs in on election speculation with one clue
Australians will have to wait until at least next Monday to find out when the federal election will be after Anthony Albanese weighed in on growing speculation.
NSW
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Anthony Albanese has ruled out a visit to the Governor-General this Sunday but refused to give any more clues on when Australia will go to the polls despite unofficially kicking off this campaign this week.
The Prime Minister is on a week-long infrastructure blitz, touring Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia to mark the start of his election year.
The tour is being touted as the first unofficial week of Mr Albanese’s re-election campaign but the Labor leader hosed down speculation of when the election will be — ruling out nothing other than calling the election this weekend.
“I’m planning a 2025 election … I’ll give you a tip I’m not going to the Governor-General this Sunday,” he said in response to speculation the election could be held earlier than May, with April 12 being a popular guess.
But he didn’t rule out an earlier election, telling 4BC “it will be this year, May or before.”
Mr Albanese also refused to be drawn into rumours the federal parliament would not return in February, triggering a March or April election.
Today, the Prime Minister will announce $50m for more housing and community projects in Cairns and Far North Queensland — building on record funding for the Bruce Highway announced on Monday.
“These projects mean more houses for more Cairns locals and better community facilities to bring them together,“ he said.
“We want to see more social housing and more quality community led infrastructure where people need it most.”
Half of the new funding will go to five housing projects including social housing and residential projects.
Another $25m will go to improving community infrastructure including a community and multicultural centre and PCYC in Cairns and a cultural knowledge centre.
His pitch to voters has also included convincing Australians that a Labor government will deliver for “all Australians” — a claim he attempted to illustrate by announcing the record highway funding in the safe Nationals seat of Wide Bay.
“This is investment … I have invested in a road, we are standing in the electorate of Wide Bay near Gympie.
“I don’t know what the two-party preferred vote is here but I know it’s not 49 per cent.
“This is doing absolutely the right thing by the national interest,” he said.
Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, who is by Mr Albanese’s side on the road this week, said Labor was committed to investing in regional Australia.
“Whether cultural or community centres, sports facilities or town centres, we want to make our regions even better places to live, work and play – and that’s what we’re investing in here in Far North Queensland,” she said.
“This builds on our significant investment in Cairns through projects such as the Cairns Water Security, CQ University and Cairns Marine Project, and of course, the $7.2 billion we announced yesterday to fix the Bruce Highway.”
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