Murray Olds: Australia correspondent on Anthony Albanese potentially calling a federal election by Friday

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is poised to call the country’s federal election as early as Friday, according to new reports.

Speculation claims Albanese will make the move in an attempt to overshadow Peter Dutton’s budget speech.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says it's likely opposition leader Dutton will announce a cut in fuel taxes soon - but Albanese's announcement could overshadow it. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Murray Old's Australia correspondent.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Hi Murray, Very good afternoon.

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Ryan Elbow visiting the Governor General on Friday. I wonder
what for well.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
One does not like to boast, But I did give
you a sneak preview forty eight hours ago. I just
forgot where I read it. Afternoon this afternoon, nine newspapers
over here are saying, definitely tomorrow morning, Elbow's got the
uber booked to go from his canber residence to the
Governor General's place and there he will invite the Governor

(00:30):
General to dissolve the government and he can call an election.
It looks like to be May the third. Now, these
sources at nine newspapers have spoken to unauthorized to speak
to the media. It says, emphasize the plan was changed
when cyclone Alfred belted into Queensland. So the timeline is

(00:52):
as I suggested on Tuesday. Tonight, Peter Dutton will stand
up in Parliament and give his budget. In reply address,
He's going to reveal policies we understand on things like housing,
gas supply, migration. But it's all going to get blown
out of the water if Elbow hops on the car
tomorrow morning and go and goes to call an election

(01:14):
May the third I think I've mentioned and the Coalition,
by the way, not since nineteen hundred and thirty one
has a one term government been kicked out. That was
the election that cost the then Prime Minister Melbourne Stanley
Bruce or Stanley Melbourne Bruce, I beg your pardon is
his own seat. So that happened back in the Great Depression.

(01:34):
And it's really really difficult. Notwithstanding the fact the Labor
government has sort of been not that flash, it must
be admitted the Coalition does need around twenty seats right
to form majority government and that does seem a real
big stretch.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
So you because I was going to say, it's too
close to call at this point and there's so much
to go, water to go under the bridge. But if
you look at the plans that the you know, Elbow's
plan versus what Dunton announced on to gb this morning
over in Sydney, which was immediate effect petrol. It cuts
to petrol excise, right, I mean that's gonna help people.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Now.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
Is that smarter than what Elbinezi did?

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Who knows? It depends, It depends. I mean, we all
need fuel it's gonna save you fourteen bucks a week now, Well,
it may appeal to a lot of people, and as
he points out, Peter Dutton points out the Prime Minister's
tax cuts of about seventy cents a day or something,
it's not the biggest tax cut you've ever seen. I

(02:33):
mean put it this way. I mean they used to
say your tax cut was worth a coup of coffee
and a sandwich. Well, I mean that's not even worth
the salt Bebby you put on the sanger for goodness sake.
So look, it depends how hard up people are and
people are hurting. There's no doubt about it. The taxpayers
will take home an extra five bucks a week from
next year under the Prime Minister's plan, and the both

(02:55):
sides are spending money we haven't got and are very
much unlikely to see, particularly if Donald Trump pulls the
Tara flever again.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Exactly. Yeah, and you've got your deficits for the next
decade to worry about too.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
Oh, don't even go there.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
God, Hey, this Australian he's not going to care or
she's not going to care. I don't know who it
is at this point, but apparently won quite a lot
of money on an American reality show, is that right?

Speaker 2 (03:17):
Indeed is a guy called David Genet or Gannett g
E Nat And look, I must confess I'm not familiar
with mister Gennett's work, but he's nicknamed the Golden God.
I had to look at him online. He's got biceps
the size of grapefruit and his pecks at the size
of bloody basketballs. And he's been on this national television

(03:37):
show in America where he has won nearly ten million
Australian dollars. It's called something Where the hell is it? Here?
In my notes, it's some island show where they're all
locked away and you've got to do stunts and whatnot. Anyway,
he's emerged as the winner. He's previously beat on these
similar shows here in Australia. Again, sadly, I can't report

(04:00):
on his expertise one bay or the other because I'd
rather pluck my eyes out than watch that stuff. But
suffice to say, mister Gennett is just off to the
bank with a check and an amazing Gregory peck for
going on Telly and basically shooting down everybody else. So
well done him. Apparently he's a model in Perth.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
There you go, and ten million dollars is not to
be scoffed at.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
No kidding, Harry's a lot of time in the Tanning
cellon boat.

Speaker 1 (04:28):
Murray Thank you for that. Murray Olds are Australia correspondent.

Speaker 2 (04:31):
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