Anthony Albanese won’t call an April election this weekend amid Cyclone Alfred chaos
Anthony Albanese has provided an update as Tropical Cyclone Alfred scuppers any plans for an early federal election.
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Anthony Albanese will not be calling an April election this weekend as Tropical Cyclone Alfred scuppers any plans for an early poll and all-but guarantees Labor will hand down a federal budget.
As millions of people in south east Queensland and northern NSW brace for the cyclone to cross the coast, sources said the Prime Minister has ruled out calling the election this Sunday or Monday for April 12.
The date had been favoured by both Labor insiders and pundits who believed the Albanese Government would seek to avoid handing down a budget due on March 25.
But on Thursday morning Mr Albanese insisted his focus was on the cyclone, adding the government “have a budget that we’re prepared for”.
The Easter and Anzac Day long weekends effectively rule out a late April election, leaving the earliest possible next date May 3.
Mr Albanese could leave it much later and call a 33 day campaign toward the end of April for a May 17 pol – the latest possible date.
The Coalition has argued if Labor skipped the federal budget it would be a sign the government had “no good news” to tell economically.
But National Accounts figures for the final quarter of 2024 showed higher than forecast GDP growth of 0.6 per cent, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers saying there were “good reasons to believe that the Australian economy is starting to turn a corner”.
The Expenditure Review Committee, made up of senior cabinet ministers and the PM, has been meeting regularly to finalise potential budget measures, including a possible extension of $300 energy bill rebates for every household.
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