Prime Minister Anthony Albanese won’t call election for April 12 as Cyclone Alfred approaches

Anthony Albanese says now is not the time for politics as millions face the onslaught of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, ending speculation he will call the election this weekend.

Anthony Albanese has ruled out calling an election this weekend as Tropical Cyclone Alfred causes havoc in northern NSW and southeastern Queensland, with voters to go to the polls in May.

Before the onset of Alfred, the Prime Minister had been expected to call the election this weekend for April 12, straight after Saturday’s Western Australian state election.

In an interview on 7.30 on Friday night, host Sarah Ferguson asked Mr Albanese if he was “categorically” ruling out calling the election on Sunday or Monday.

“That’s correct,” he said.

“I have no intention of doing anything that distracts from what we need to do.

“This is not a time for looking at politics.

“My sole focus is not calling an election, my sole focus is on the needs of Australians, that is my sole focus.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he won’t call the election this weekend while Cyclone Alfred bears down on the east coast. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Albanese has been asked a number of times over the week whether he would delay calling the election due to the cyclone.

He had batted away the questions saying he was focused on the government’s response to Alfred.

The decision not to go ahead with an election on April 12 means the federal budget will now be handed down as scheduled on March 25.

It is understood the PM on Friday finalised decided on the change of plans and to go ahead with the budget in just over two weeks.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has consistently said work had been proceeding on the budget, despite expectations of an election being called beforehand.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said the work has been done to hand down the budget on March 25., Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had this week said the Prime Minister would “have to have a tin ear” to begin campaigning during a natural disaster.

Mr Dutton, whose outer northern Brisbane electorate of Dickson could be hit with 130km/h winds and storm surges, said he would be surprised if the Prime Minister called the election this weekend.

“There will be people waiting for waters to recede, there will be swift water rescues, there will be people cleaning out their houses or their businesses, and some people will have lost everything,” Mr Dutton told Brisbane radio station 4BC on Wednesday.

“That’s the reality of these weather events, and to go to election at that stage, at that time, I think the Prime Minister would have a tin ear to do that.”

The Easter and Anzac Day long weekends rule out April 19 and April 26 as prospective election dates.

Mr Albanese has just three election dates to choose from – May 3, May 10 or May 17, the latest possible day the government can hold a general election.

Triopical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cause flooding across a swathe of southeastern Queensland and NSW. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is now not expected make landfall around Brisbane until midmorning Saturday, with the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast and northern NSW to be hit.

The category 2 storm is already causing high winds, heavy rains, huge swells and flooding in many areas, with the expectation of ongoing flooding over many areas over the next week.

Mr Albanese has described the situation as “very serious”.

“When you speak about a tropical cyclone crossing over and hitting land where over four million Australians live, then that’s pretty serious,” he told 7.30.

“That’s why we’re doing everything possible and mobilising every level of support that we can, both civil and military.”

Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese won’t call election for April 12 as Cyclone Alfred approaches