Prime Minister Hints at Election Possibility After Cyclone Alfred

The Prime Minister has left himself the option of calling the election this weekend, but Tropical Cyclone Alfred could throw a wrench in those plans as it heads toward Queensland and northern NSW.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has to call the election by May 17, and this weekend was seen as a prime time to do so. If he calls it now, a standard five-week campaign would lead to a polling date of April 12 — before the Anzac and Easter holidays, and avoiding the need to deliver a federal budget.

But with a category two cyclone forming off the east coast, the election timing is looking a bit uncertain. Mr. Albanese had already canceled plans to head to Perth for what was expected to be a Labor victory in this weekend’s WA state election, and he’s been tight-lipped on whether he’ll delay the election announcement because of the cyclone.

When asked about the timing on Sky News, he made it clear that his focus is on the safety of Australians, not politics: "I'm focused not on votes, I’m focused on lives," he said.

If the cyclone makes landfall on Friday as expected, Mr. Albanese would have three days to assess the situation and figure out if an election could be called without negative fallout. If he’s aiming for that April 12 polling date, he’d need to announce it by Monday at 6 pm, but again, he’s prioritizing the cyclone and its impact.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, however, has called for the Prime Minister to delay the election announcement, saying calling it now would be "tin-eared" given the situation. It’s definitely a tricky balancing act for the PM right now.