Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is weighing his options on when to call the next federal election as Cyclone Alfred threatens to cause widespread disruption. With a legal deadline of May 17, Albanese had been considering an early April 12 election but may now delay due to the cyclone’s impact. The storm has already halted flights and put millions of residents in Queensland and northern New South Wales on alert. Complicating matters further, the election window is squeezed by Easter, Anzac Day, and school holidays. If the cyclone causes significant damage, Albanese may opt to wait until May and use the pre-election budget as a campaign tool.
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Cyclone stops flights; PM mulls non-budget election options
Millions of residents across south-east Queensland and northern NSW are in a holding pattern as the destructive arrival of the tropical cyclone is pushed back.
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The unlucky PM caught between a cyclone and election
Albanese, who is desperate to catch Peter Dutton on the hop, has a 10-week window until the election has to be called by May 17. That narrow window is complicated by Easter, Anzac Day and school holidays. If Cyclone Alfred wreaks havoc, Albanese is expected to wait until May and hold the pre-election budget.
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MARK RILEY: Cyclone Alfred blows away election plans as Albanese weighs when to call it
Journalists aren’t the only people curious about how the cyclone’s arrival might affect Albanese’s thinking on whether to visit the Governor-General on Sunday or Monday to call an election for April 12.
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