Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denies asking Premier Roger Cook to shift WA election date
Anthony Albanese has denied asking Roger Cook to shift the date of the WA election to avoid an overlap with the Federal campaign in the first half of next year.
The Prime Minister insisted if it were up to him, the Commonwealth would have four-year fixed terms like all the States and Territories, as he ridiculed speculation about election dates.
“I have read the election would be in August, September, November, December 7 has probably passed now but I was reading that as the date as well,” he told reporters in Tasmania.
“I’m focused on governing. That’s what I’m focused on. I will leave the speculation to others.
“The election, I’ve said the whole way through, will be in 2025. It will be called April or before.”
The Federal election must be held by May 17 — with the Prime Minister required to call it between 33 and 58 days ahead of polling day — while the WA date is set for March 8.
Mr Cook stoked speculation about a March Federal election date when he revealed at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters event on Monday he had sought legal advice about moving WA’s election date if Anthony Albanese required him to.
That involved discussions with the electoral commission to understand what complications might arise if the two elections were held close together, such as staffing and the availability of physical polling locations.
Mr Cook said he did not care whether the Federal or State election was held first.
After dismissing the date speculation, Mr Albanese joked about an early election when asked about Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s comments that the best Labor could gain at this point was a minority government.
“We are now in the thralls, apparently, of an election campaign, perhaps in December, Peter Dutton does not have a single costed policy out there. Not one,” he said.
Shifting the Commonwealth away from three-year terms would require a constitutional change. A proposal for fixed terms was defeated at the 1988 referendum while three attempts to align Senate and House of Representatives elections have also failed.
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