‘Clinging to office’: Dutton slams Albo’s call for less frequent elections

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has compared the PM’s proposal for longer terms for government to the Voice referendum, appearing to backflip on previous comments.

Peter Dutton has slammed Anthony Albanese’s call for four-year fixed terms for the federal government, but the Opposition Leader has in turn been accused of backflipping on his previous support for proposal.

Speaking on Channel 7’s Sunrise, Mr Albanese told host Michael Usher, “We should have four year fixed terms like they do in most states and territories,” reiterating a long-held view he’s talked about previously.

Mr Albanese kicked off pre-election campaigning in Queensland by calling for bold new election reforms. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Asked if he supported the call, Mr Dutton told NewsWire on Tuesday it was, “a desperate play from a desperate Prime Minister who is clinging to office”.

“If Mr Albanese has a proposal to have a referendum on four year terms, then he should be upfront about it,” Mr Dutton said.

“It is a thought bubble, like the Voice. And look how that ended.”

This is despite Mr Dutton’s previous comments dating back to March 2024, that while he didn’t think the public would support a referendum to implement four-year terms, he was willing to discuss the idea with Mr Albanese.

“I suspect the government would think that they’re burning political capital … that’d be my honest assessment of it,” he told The Australian Financial Review Business Summit less than a year ago.

“But if the prime minister’s got a desire to proceed with it, despite our public differences, we have a pretty good working relationship, so I’d be happy to have a conversation with him.”

Mr Dutton accused the Prime Minister of “clinging to power”. Picture: NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

However it appeared Mr Dutton had changed his views, saying on Tuesday that Mr Albanese’s latest call for reform proved he was “not focused on the cost of living crisis and the issues that matter to everyday Australians”.

In March 2024, he told the Australian Financial Review Business Summit that while he didn’t believe the public would support a referendum to implement four-year terms, he was willing to discuss the idea with Mr Albanese.

“Australian families who are struggling to pay their bills at the moment want a PM who is focused on them – not one focused on himself and how he can stay in power for longer,” he said.

“If the PM is asking for politicians to have greater job security, then why doesn’t he stop the games and just call an election and let the Australian people have their say?”

Mr Albanese said on Tuesday he doubted the Coalition would back the change, which would require a referendum to implement.

“The Coalition always says at this stage in the cycle that they support referendums, then they don’t,” Mr Albanese said.

“That happened in the 1980s in the Hawke government. Then after it was called, Peter Reith changed his mind.”

Federal elections are currently held every three years, with the government having the final say on the specific date. Photographer: David Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Acting Greens Leader Sarah Hanson-Young said while the minor party had always advocated on fixed terms for elections, they were not set on whether it should be “three years or four years”.

However she said the Greens would be “happy to be constructive” and called on Mr Albanese to put forward a plan.

“If the Prime Minister’s got a proposal, put it on the table. Let’s see if we can get something done, because Australians would prefer to see fixed term for governments and elections rather than the game playing,” she said.

Under the current system, federal elections are conducted roughly once every three years, with the specific date decided by the prime minister of the day.

Mr Albanese is yet to confirm a date for this year’s election, which must be held by May 17, with April 12 currently being suggested by analysts.

Originally published as ‘Clinging to office’: Dutton slams Albo’s call for less frequent elections