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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to call the election on Friday. This is how it works.

Federal election 2025CommentsWhat happens when Anthony Albanese calls an election?

With Anthony Albanese reportedly planning to call an election on Friday, the Prime Minister is set to follow a well-worn path of his predecessors in going to the voters.

Dylan Caporn

The Albanese government has been grilled over fears tech billionaire Elon Musk might “agitate for far-right politics in Australia”.

News‘Real risk’: Musk warning as election looms

The federal government has been grilled over fears tech billionaire Elon Musk might “agitate for far-right politics in Australia” during the election.

Nathan Schmidt

Anthony Albanese is now expected to call the election on Friday.

breaking
breaking
Federal election 2025Comments
breaking
Albo finally set to call date of Federal election

Speculation is reaching fever pitch that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit the Governor-General tomorrow morning to call the election.

Katina Curtis

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and shadow treasurer Angus Taylor have pledged to repeal Labor’s tax cuts in favour of their own fuel excise.

Federal election 2025CommentsPeter Dutton, Angus Taylor pledge to repeal Labor’s tax cuts

The Coalition has pledged it will repeal Labor’s $5-a-week tax cuts, saying it needs the money to fund its alternative offering of halving the fuel excise for a year.

Katina Curtis

Peter Dutton said the Coalition’s goal of firing 36,000 workers had increased by 4000 after Tuesday’s budget. NewsWire / Martin Ollman

NEWSPremiumDutton to cut 40,000 jobs in DOGE-style move

Peter Dutton’s Elon Musk-style efficiency pledge will put thousands of Australian public servants in the Coalition’s firing line.

Ria Pandey

The Home Affairs secretary has been questioned over why a royal portrait was ‘replaced’.

NewsPremiumQuestions over missing royal portrait

A leading public servant has been asked to explain why portraits of the King or Queen no longer hang in one of the country’s biggest departments.

Nathan Schmidt

The post in question was issued by the Prime Minister’s cabinet on X. NewsWire / Martin Ollman

BreakingPremiumDeleted X post as election fever hits

A quickly-deleted post made by the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s official account has raised eyebrows as election anticipation nears fever pitch.

Nathan Schmidt and Ria Pandey

Peter Dutton said his government would repeal the tax cuts in favour of halving fuel excise. NewsWire / Martin Ollman

UPDATEDLabor rejects Dutton’s $6bn fuel plan

Jim Chalmers has slammed the Coalition’s fuel excise pledge and claims the opposition has no plans to help people in an “enduring way”.

Ria Pandey

Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are set to go head to head in an election campaign expected to be called Friday.

live
live
AustraliaComments
live
It’s on: PM to call election to counter Dutton’s fuel pledge

LIVE UPDATES: Government sources have revealed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will call an election on Friday, in a bid to suck the oxygen out of Peter Dutton’s Budget reply.

Max Corstorphan

Woodside - Karratha Gas Plant

EnergyPremiumEight things to know about North West Shelf fight

Eight things you need to know about the fight over the future of the North West Shelf LNG plant.

Matt Mckenzie

Minerals Council boss Tania Constable

Federal election 2025CommentsPremiumWA mining forgotten in Jim Chalmers’ Federal Budget: MCA

The Albanese Government has taken a “particular bent” against the mining industry and his Budget cemented that by “forgetting” the sector, the head of the peak industry body has warned.

Dylan Caporn

According to ABS, I am far from alone in having a stressful day.

opinion
opinion
OpinionCommentsPremium
opinion
Budget overlooks mental health of our stressed-out nation

The Federal Budget missed an opportunity to help mental health issues for a very stressed-out nation.

Kim Macdonald

Kim Macdonald

Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

opinion
opinion
Federal budgetComments
opinion
Voter apathy is the biggest threat to democracy

EDITORIAL: This Budget is designed with one intention — to pull the wool over the eyes of Australian voters who mostly, and who can blame them, are paying absolutely no attention.

The Opposition Leader has vowed to make relief at the bowser one of his first priorities if he is successful at the May poll.

Federal PoliticsCommentsDutton drives into cost-of-living battle with petrol tax cut

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will halve the petrol excise for a year in his answer to Labor’s $5 a week tax cuts that the Coalition has voted against in the wake of the Budget.

Katina Curtis

It’s the $5 you’ll see in 15 months in the aftermath of the Federal Budget.

Federal PoliticsCommentsPremium‘Pocket money’: Little joy for WA in modest budget tax cuts

The first of two tax cuts will amount to just $5.15 a week, beginning in July 2026.

Oliver Lane

Tanya Plibersek, Anthony Albanese, and Roger Cook.

updated
updated
Federal PoliticsCommentsPremium
updated
Another paperwork delay blamed for Plibersek hold-up

The West Australian understands Ms Plibersek is waiting for a brief from her department with the new deadline now May 31.

Jessica Page

Not Supplied

EconomyPremiumChalmers budget unlikely to sway RBA

Cost of living relief and a modest tax cut are unlikely to slow the RBA’s progress on cutting rates, according to analysts.

Cameron Micallef

Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONSLabor’s non-compete clause ban ‘could harm business’

Industry groups say Labor’s ban on non-compete clauses unveiled in the Federal Budget on Tuesday could harm small businesses and is a ‘heavy handed’ measure.

Caitlyn Rintoul

US President Donald Trump speaks at the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the coral sea on the USS Intrepid in New York City. Pic Nathan Edwards

newsAlbo’s invite to Trump despite tariff threat

The offer comes amid fears Australia could be further caught up in Donald Trump’s increasingly aggressive tariff war, with an announcement due next week.

Jessica Wang

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he would not cut the tobacco excise despite smokers seeking out cheaper cigarettes on the black market. NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

newsPremiumChalmers’ huge call on ciggie tax

The Treasurer’s comments follow plunging rates of revenue driven by the tobacco excise as smokers turn to the black market for cheaper cigarettes.

Jessica Wang

Not Supplied

newsPremiumSenator whips out dead salmon

Driving home her point, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young produced a dead salmon in a bag amid debate over an endangered fish.

Jessica Wang

Not Supplied

BUDGETPremium‘Eye candy’: ‘Election’ budget slammed

Other than the Medicare investment, there is a general consensus the federal budget falls short and leaves a lot of Australians behind.

Blair Jackson

National editors have shared their judgement on Treasurer Jim Chalmers' Budget.

Budget 2025CommentsFive bucks, Nevermind, Jim’s pickings: Budget verdict hits

The nation’s leading papers were almost unanimous in their criticism of the Labor government’s pre-election fiscal plan

Aaron Patrick

Under the “modest and meaningful” reforms, described by Dr Chalmers as a “top up” to previously legislated tax cuts, the average earner will get a $268 break in 2026-27 and $536 the year after. 

updated
updated
Federal PoliticsComments
updated
Labor lays tax cut wedge for Coalition ahead of election

The two major parties will go to the election divided over 70c a day, as income tax cuts emerge as a significant policy battleground in the upcoming Federal election. 

Ellen Ransley

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