The PM will decide when the election is held, but Alfred will have a big say

Tropical cyclones aside, speculation has been rife that Anthony Albanese would be visiting Governor-General Sam Mostyn within days to call an election for 12 April.

Adding fuel to that fire is the fact that meetings of the Expenditure Review Committee of Cabinet, scheduled this week to discuss budget matters, have been cancelled.

Everything is pointing to there being no federal budget handed down on 25 March, despite government ministers’ insistence that it remains their intention to deliver a budget as scheduled.

“Well, we’re planning for a Budget on the 25 March,” Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said during a television interview this week.

“That’s the decision that was taken last year. We’ve scheduled it. As to when the PM might call an election, that’s entirely a matter for him. The Treasurer and I do our jobs, which is to make sure we’ve got the books in order and all of those decisions have been taken.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ office has referred to the scheduled ERC meeting as diary contingencies that were not needed.

And the Prime Minister is sick and tired of being asked whether the election timing will remove the need for a March budget.

Region understands the PM is waiting for the WA state election this weekend to be done and dusted before calling a federal election straight after.

Most Canberra-based Labor staff have been given orders to relocate to the party’s headquarters in Sydney in preparation for the campaign, and they are currently in the process of manning HQ with reassigned roles.

“You can forget about a budget in March,” one government source told Region.

Confusing the potential timeline, however, is a little thing called Tropical Cyclone Alfred bearing down on southeast Queensland and northern NSW.

While Labor has denounced as “crass” any talk of the cyclone affecting the election timing, it wouldn’t be a great look for the PM to be pitching his re-election bid in Canberra or Sydney while the weather is wreaking havoc further north.

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil told Channel 7’s Sunrise program that the PM was totally focused on the cyclone and helping those impacted by it.

“Politics is the furthest thing from the PM’s mind today,” she said.

“People are literally sandbagging their homes and I think the discussion about how this affects politics is irrelevant and really crass.”

Peter Dutton is goading the PM nonetheless over the imminent election, saying parliament should return and deliver a budget as scheduled.

“The Prime Minister obviously has got the option to return to parliament, which you would want him to do because there’s important legislation to pass,” the Opposition Leader said.

“I think the Prime Minister should stick to the timetable of the parliament returning, so the budget can be delivered.

“If the Prime Minister doesn’t have good news in the budget, which would seem to be the case, then he’s likely to run to an election early – perhaps for 12 April.

“I think Australians will see that as a sign from a Prime Minister who doesn’t want to tell the Australian public the true, dire picture of what the economic outlook is for our country.

“The Prime Minister’s presided over a lot of spending … If the Prime Minister’s saying that legislation is required for that, well, the parliament is scheduled to come back within a couple of weeks and they should stick to that timetable.”

In Brisbane on Wednesday (5 March), Mr Albanese appeared alongside Queensland Premier David Crisafulli to discuss plans for the cyclone’s impact.

He said all levels of government in Qld and NSW were working together, and the Commonwealth was in “lock step” with state governments’ responses.

“Prepare. Take this seriously. This is a rare event,” Mr Albanese said.

“Governments across the board are taking this seriously … My government is on the ground and we will provide whatever resources are required.”

The Australian Defence Force is now engaged on the ground in Queensland and northern NSW.

The National Coordination Mechanism has been convened to help coordinate the Commonwealth’s response efforts.

“What that means is that very quickly, Services Australia can be on the ground making sure that people get that assistance when they need it,” Mr Albanese said.

“This has been effective, I’ve got to say. Unfortunately, there is a lot of experience dealing with the recent events in Townsville and Ingham in northern Queensland, and last January dealing with the events around Cairns and Cape York.”

The PM also praised the work of volunteers preparing for the cyclone.

“At the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character,” he said.

Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Riotact.