Albanese expected to announce federal election May 3

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is anticipated to announce a federal election on Friday, potentially setting polling day for May 3, amid a tight race against Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. The timing follows the recent federal budget and aims to overshadow Dutton's upcoming budget reply speech, where he plans to propose halving the petrol excise for a year as part of his campaign platform. Albanese's announcement will mark the beginning of a five-week campaign period, with the latest possible election date set for May 17 due to parliamentary term limits. The announcement was preceded by a minor blunder from Albanese's office, which mistakenly indicated that the government had entered caretaker mode. As both parties prepare for a heated election, the Coalition's strategy involves countering Labor's tax cuts and presenting immediate relief measures for voters. Opinion polls suggest a competitive landscape, with the Liberal-National coalition currently holding a slight lead over Labor.