Sky News political editor Andrew Clennell has declared Australians deserve to know if the Albanese government is intending to deliver a pre-election budget in only three weeks’ time.
While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers have consistently pointed to the budget scheduled for March 25, there is still doubt that it will be missed in favour of an April election.
The government is expected to either deliver a full budget or an economic statement, if Mr Albanese decides to call an election before March 25.
Clennell said Tropical Cyclone Alfred now threatens the calling of an election on April 12.
Clennell told Sky News host Laura Jayes on Tuesday it would “not look great” if Mr Albanese “rocked out” after the potential disaster in southeastern Queensland and northern New South Wales and declared the election.
The Sky News host said the potential for “real carnage” from the tropical cyclone could offer a chance for a leader to look strong by dominating the news cycle, but it could backfire and make them appear “opportunistic”.
“So it’s an extraordinary sort of confluence of events. I mean, he could call the election, the Pope could die. And that wipes out the news for two or three days as well,” he said.
“The fact of the matter is, if he doesn’t want to (go to a) budget, he’s got a pretty limited window now.”
Clennell said it “looks a bit weak” to hold off calling an election “this long” and to not do a budget as it appeared as though Labor were “running away from the numbers”.
“Let’s face it, people should know whether there’s a budget or not three weeks out,” he said.
The deadline for an April 12 election is Monday evening next week, while April 19 and April 26 have already been ruled out as election dates because of Easter and Anzac Day.
The next possible date for an election therefore is May 3, which could be called the Sunday after a March 25 budget.
Clennell said he thought Mr Albanese had to hold a budget if he did not call an election on Sunday or Monday.
The Sky News host said a government source had told him “something resembling a budget” had been done.
“At the moment, the money is on April 12,” Clennell said.
However, the Sky News host rattled of a list of reasons why picking April 12 was problematic for a Labor election campaign.
“You get accused of running from a budget. You got Passover. You got school holidays on April 12. That’ll annoy people. You’ve got this tariff thing. But the other argument is, worse things can happen to the government the longer they go on,” Clennell said.
Clennell predicted both parties would achieve seat tallies in the range of the “mid-60s”.
The Sky News host said the Coalition and the government were trying to lift their support “into the 70s”, with 76 seats the minimum number to form majority government.
“What we’re seeing from Peter Dutton is to try and get up there to 70. He thinks 76, that’s if Anthony Albanese collapses. Again, I can’t see coalition majority, but if Anthony Albanese has the worst campaign ever, perhaps Peter Dutton gets there,” Clennell said.
