Anthony Albanese has officially called the federal election for May 3.
The Prime Minister travelled to Government House to meet with Governor-General Sam Mostyn early on Friday morning.
He then travelled back to Parliament House where he fronted an eager media pack to fire the starting gun on the long-awaited election campaign.
‘Over the last few years, the world has thrown a lot at ,’ the Prime Minister told the gathered reporters.
‘In uncertain times, we cannot decide the challenges that we will face, but we can determine how we respond.
‘Our government has chosen to face global challenges the n way – helping people under cost-of-living pressure, while building for the future.
‘Because of the strength and resilience that our people have shown, is turning the corner. Now on 3 May, you choose the way forward.’
It now means that Labor and the Coalition will slug it out over the next five weeks to try to convince ns who has the best vision for the country amid a campaign expected to be dominated by the cost of living crisis.
The major election update coincides with the release of shock research which appears to show most Aussies believe they are worse off after three years under Labor.
Recent polling had showed Labor begins the election campaign ahead of the Coalition on a two-party preferred basis at 51 to 49 per cent.
However, the new Redbridge poll, published by news.com.au, found only 29 per cent of voters could name something the federal government has done since Mr Albanese was elected that has ‘made their life better in any way’.
Up to 54 per cent of the 2,039 Aussies polled couldn’t name a single measure that had had any positive impact on their lives.
Of the one in three voters who could identify a positive, 36 per cent said the government’s controversial energy rebate had improved their lives.
This measure seemed to be recognised far ahead of the government’s other big financial measures for voters of tax cuts and changes to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, with 11 per cent of respondents noting these.
About 5 per cent of voters mentioned HECS relief, while 4 per cent mentioned pension increases.
The news has distracted attention away from Mr Dutton as he handed down his Budget reply speech on Thursday night.
While an election announcement is yet to be made, Mr Albanese took to social media on Thursday night with a ‘showreel’ of important moments from his term as PM.
‘I want to build an where no one is held back and no one is left behind,’ he captioned the clip.
‘As Prime Minister, I’ve been working every day to make that a reality. And I’ll keep fighting for you.’
Speculation has been rife over when the official announcement would come, further enflamed after Mr Albanese’s office pulled the trigger too soon.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet sent out an official social media post earlier on Thursday claiming the government was now in ‘caretaker’ mode.
The post on X was swiftly deleted after the blunder was spotted.
First Assistant Secretary Andrew Walter later apologised for the mistake.
‘Obviously this is an error and we apologise for that,’ he said.
‘It was up for a period of four minutes, I became aware of it approximately nine minutes ago and my corporate colleagues are addressing how this occurred.
‘I can assure you we’re not in caretaker.’
During media appearances on Thursday, the Prime Minister remained vague.
‘It’ll be called pretty imminently, I can assure you of that,’ Mr Albanese told Triple M Hobart.
‘I’m not calling it today, but I will call it soon. I think that ns want to get on with it.’
Mr Albanese said his colleagues also want to get into the campaign after the Coalition announced they voted against government tax cuts and that they were going to repeal it.
Earlier this month, the Prime Minister was due to call an election for April 12, but that plan was derailed by Cyclone Alfred.
With pre-polling and postal voting now a major part of elections, some Aussies will be able to vote in just over two weeks from now.
The Coalition has been on par or ahead of Labor in polling for much of the last year, though its lead has started to narrow.
That, and the fact that it’s almost 100 years since an n government was defeated after one term in power, has made Labor the bookies’ favourites to win.
A senior Labor cabinet minister told Nine newspapers that Mr Albanese reckoned the government is looking good to retain power.
‘If we are on 50-50 at the start of the campaign, that’s potentially an election-winning (majority) for a government,’ Mr Albanese reportedly said.
‘We think there is a chance the wheels will fall off completely for them,’ the source said.
In his Budget reply speech, Mr Dutton announced a major cost of living relief measure for millions of ns by halving fuel taxes for anyone who drives a motor vehicle.
‘The Coalition is committed to supporting families and businesses and alleviating the cost of living pressure that everyone, right across the country, is feeling right now,’ Mr Dutton told Daily Mail .
He will become ‘s 32nd prime minister if the Coalition wins next month’s election.