‘Underestimated’: Underdog PM insists he can win the next election

The PM says he can still win the election, defending his $4.2 million house and insisting Labor has put “real dollars into people’s pockets”.

Anthony Albanese has declared he’s been “underestimated” for his entire political career, insisting he can win the next election as he refused to rule out further income tax cuts.

The Prime Minister has outlined why he still thinks he can win, maintaining the government is “heading in the right direction” despite polls showing Peter Dutton has hit the lead when it comes to the popular vote.

As speculation builds the PM could call the election for April 12, Mr Albanese also declined to rule out scrapping the March 25 budget to campaign for re-election.

In an interview with Sunday Agenda on Sky News, Mr Albanese said commentators were wrong to write him off.

“I’ve been underestimated my whole life,” Mr Albanese said.

“What I’m confident of is that I lead a government that’s focused, that’s orderly, that has seen Australia through some very difficult economic times, that we are heading in the right direction, and that we have an agenda to build on that in our second term.

“We understand that people have been doing it tough, but what we’ve done is act on that, not cheer that on which Peter Dutton has done.

“We’ve talked Australia up, and we’ve taken substantial measures to ensure inflation now has a two in front of it. We produced two budget surpluses to assist with that, but we’ve also had significant cost-of-living relief … a tax cut for every taxpayer.”

Anthony Albanese insists he can win the next election. Picture: Sky News

April election speculation

Mr Albanese was also grilled on whether he’s planning for an April election which would involve scrapping the March 25 federal budget, repeatedly insisting it was “scheduled” but not guaranteeing it would occur.

Traditionally the budget is handed down in May but it was brought forward to March on the understanding that an election had to be held by late May.

“The budget is scheduled for March 25,” Mr Albanese said.

“So we will have a budget?” Sky News’ Andrew Clennell interjected.

“The budget is scheduled for March 25, that’s when it’s scheduled,” Mr Albanese replied.

“We’re working through the Expenditure Review Committee this week, we’re working through the proposals that will form a part of that budget.”

Asked if he would be “squibbing it” to go to the election without having the budget, Mr Albanese denied this was the case.

“Oh, look, Andrew, we haven’t squibbed anything,” he said.

“What we’ve done is work each and every day, and I’ve said you were probably asking me questions in the middle of last year about an election being held in August or September, October, I have said consistently the whole way through that I think that three years is too short, and indeed, this time last year is the anniversary of Peter Dutton not just opposing our tax cuts for every taxpayer.”

The PM’s $4.2 million house in Copacabana, NSW. Picture: Supplied

Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon bought the luxury beach home last year. Picture: Supplied

It’s got quite a view. Picture: Supplied

Tax cuts not ruled out

Asked if he would move to match any future income tax cuts offered by the opposition leader, Mr Albanese did not rule out further cost-of-living relief.

“That’s a hypothetical on a hypothetical Andrew with respect, what we know is that Peter Dutton was opposed to tax cuts for low and middle income earners,” Mr Albanese said.

“Are you doing more tax cuts? That’s what every Australian watching is hoping,” Clennell asked.

“What we have done is deliver real dollars into people’s pockets as a direct result of what we have done,” Mr Albanese replied. “Australians can earn more with wages increasing, and they keep more of what they earn with our tax cuts, both of which were opposed by the Coalition.”

Mr Albanese said it remained the “right call” to scrap the existing tax cuts for high income earners in favour of more relief for low and middle income workers.

“And that’s why, a year ago, I made the tough decision, but it was done for the right reasons. I can’t remember what your view in commentating on this show was, but it wasn’t universally applauded in the first 48 hours. It was the right thing to do and I hope now you can concede it was the right thing to do,” he said.

“It took some money off [high income earners] and gave it to people on lower incomes. And that was something that was a difficult thing to do, but we did it, and because of that, that has assisted in a way too, that hasn’t added to inflation, because it’s not a big pot of money going out at once every single week or fortnight or monthly in people’s pay packet, more dollars in their pocket.”

Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon. Picture: Martin Ollman/NCA NewsWire

PM defends Copacabana purchase

Clennell also grilled the PM on his $4.2 million house purchase on the NSW central coast.

“It looked like a plan for retirement,” Clennell said.

“It looked like you weren’t thinking about staying in the job forever. It also could be argued, it appears to run counter the slogan that got you elected, ‘No One Left Behind’. Because when a Prime Minister buys a $4.2 million house, hasn’t he left most people behind?”

“Not at all,” Mr Albanese replied.

“Andrew, not every decision that I make as a human being is through a focus group is about politics.

“Around about this time last year, on February 14, I proposed to Jodie. I’ve met someone I want to spend the rest of my life with and what happens when people make that decision, if they’re in a position to they go and get a mortgage together, and it’s mortgaged, and I sold another property, a property that I had in order to assist with that.

“Down the track, we can have somewhere close to where she grew up, where Jodi’s parents and family all are. And it wasn’t a political decision. It was very much a personal one, but I think people as well would understand that the idea that Jodie and I, when this ends and will end, we won’t be here in 20 years time.

“We will not spend our later years in the same house where Carmel and I, my first wife, the mother of my son, our son, Nathan, where we raised Nathan and where we lived as a family like that’s what happens. Life is complex. People have real relationships that matter. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have met Jodie, someone I want to spend the rest of my life with.”