Here it is, folks. What little doubt is left has been erased.
Australia will head to the polls for a full Double Dissolution Federal Election.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today formally announced the election – which has been suspected ever since the Government brought forward the date of the Federal Budget – in a press conference today.
With the Senate voting down the Government’s proposed ABCC revival, Prime Minister Turnbull scored the second Double Dissolution trigger required to call for the election.
Turnbull confirmed that the trigger will be used to call a Double Dissolution election whilst fronting media at a construction site in Belconnen.
“The ABCC will be a trigger for a Double Dissolution election. The Australian people will decide whether there will be an Australian Business & Construction Commission.”“A Double Dissolution is about giving the people of Australia their say.”
“When we win the election, as I believe we will, the reintroduction of the Australian Business & Construction Commission will be made law. It will protect jobs and drive economic growth.”
The 74-day election campaign presents as an extremely interesting one, given that recent polls have put the two party preferred race at an even 50-50 between Turnbull and the Coalition and Labor with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.
Turnbull, quite oddly, would not specifically confirm the July 2nd date for the election. Rather, he skirted the question and stated that he merely “expected” the election to be held on that date.
“My intention is that after the budget, an appropriate amount of time after the budget is delivered, I will be asking the Governor-General to dissolve both houses of Parliament for an election that I expect to be held on the second of July.”“I have a very strong expectation [that the election will be on July 2], but I paying due respect to the office of the Governor-General.”“What I’ve said is accurate and constitutionally correct.”
So. Uh. Read into that what you will.
But hey. July 2nd election (more than bloody likely). STRAP YOURSELVES IN, GANG. IT’S BLOODY WELL ON.
Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty.
