Albanese seeking majority government

Anthony Albanese has declared he intends to win a majority government despite his fragile grip on power, shrugging off suggestions he may need to strike a deal with the crossbench.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses the media at Parliament House. Picture: Getty Images

Anthony Albanese has declared he intends to win a majority government despite his fragile grip on power, shrugging off suggestions he may need to strike a deal with the crossbench.

As he called the federal election on Friday, the Prime Minister ruled out striking any deals with independents or the Greens in the event that the May 3 poll hands the Labor Party minority government.

In an optimistic pitch to voters for a second term, based on promised tax cuts, fear over Peter Dutton’s pledge to slash the public service and a scare campaign over Medicare, Mr Albanese confirmed he would not make a deal if the election resulted in a hung parliament.

Mr Albanese starts the campaign with 77 seats. This means that if Labor suffers a net loss of just two seats it will lose its slim majority.

The Opposition Leader needs to win 22 seats for an outright majority, with the Coalition currently holding 53 seats.

“Yes, I intend to lead a majority government,” Mr Albanese said in Canberra on Friday.

Mr Albanese has maintained he “won’t be entering into any coalitions” with the Greens or other crossbenchers in a minority government.

At a National Press Club address in January he said the “only coalition that exists is the Liberal Party and the National Party”.

“I said it before the last election and indeed in 2013 when I became deputy prime minister: we refused to do arrangements,” he said on January 24.

“We just continue to govern on the floor of the parliament. I’m someone who, though, has always given respect across the board.

“My door is open to Liberals, Nationals, to a range of people. If crossbenchers want to see me, I think that’s important as well.

“But as far as agreements are done, the only coalition sits on the other side.”

In contrast, Mr Dutton said on the same day that he would never govern with the Greens, but left the door open to negotiating with independent MPs to form government if the Coalition failed to win a majority.

“Now we want to form a majority government,” Mr Dutton said.

“If we’re not able to form a majority government, then you’re in a position where you have to negotiate with the independents, and that’s just being honest with the Australian public.”

Mr Dutton said there was “no chance” that Labor could win a majority government.

“If people are voting for Anthony Albanese or for a Green-teal or for a Greens member at the next election, they’re voting for a minority Labor-Greens government,” he said.

Launching the Coalition’s campaign in Brisbane on Friday, Mr Dutton made his pitch to voters based on a promise to restore living standards, cut “wasteful” spending and slash the fuel excise by 25c a litre.

“Labor’s economic policies and wasteful spending have increased the cost of living for everyday Australians,” Mr Dutton said.

“Australians are now paying on average 18 per cent more for rent, 30 per cent more for groceries, and over 30 per cent more for power and gas.

“Under Labor, Australia has had the biggest fall in living standards in the developed world.”