Albo Unofficially Fires Election Starting Gun Ahead of Federal Vote
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese kicks off a multistate campaign blitz as the federal election approaches, targeting key Labor seats.
Anthony Albanese, Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Labor, Election
Darwin: So, Anthony Albanese is really getting the ball rolling for this year’s federal election. He’s planning a big tour across Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory next week.
The election is set for May 17, and with some not-so-great polling numbers, he’s got his eyes on those tight Labor seats that are crucial for keeping his government in power.
He’s starting off in the Northern Territory, where Labor is barely hanging on to the Lingiari seat with just a 0.9 percent margin. They’ve got a bit more breathing room in Solomon, which includes Darwin, with a 9.4 percent margin.
Albo’s tour will take him to places like Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton, Cairns, and Mount Isa, wrapping up in Kimberley and Perth. It’s only been four weeks since he was last there!
During this pre-election push, he’ll be highlighting Labor’s plans for infrastructure, health, childcare, and housing. He’s asking voters to give his government another three years to keep building on what they’ve started.
He’s making it clear: “This election is a choice between building Australia’s future or taking Australia backwards.”
Albo insists his government cares about Australians, pointing to their efforts in providing cost of living relief and investing in essential services like Medicare and aged care.
Labor is hoping to keep the momentum from their 2022 success in Western Australia, where they gained four seats while the Coalition lost six. This includes some big names like Christian Porter and Ken Wyatt.
Even Julie Bishop’s old seat of Curtin flipped to Teal independent Kate Chaney with a huge swing of 16.8 percent!
Albo’s trip to regional Queensland comes after a rough patch for Labor in the 2024 state election, where they lost power after three terms.
Recent polling shows the Coalition slightly ahead of Labor, 48 to 47 percent, with Labor dropping a couple of points. Albo’s approval rating has also taken a hit, dropping six points to -11, while Peter Dutton’s approval has ticked up to +3.