Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday called a national election for May 3, launching a five-week campaign that is set to be dominated by cost-of-living pressures. Albanese's Labour party won a majority at the last federal election in 2022, but most recent opinion polls show the party neck-and-neck with the opposition Liberal-National coalition when votes from smaller parties are redistributed. "Our government has chosen to face global challenges the Australian way - helping people under cost-of-living pressure, while building for the future," he told a press conference.

"Because of the strength and resilience that our people have shown, Australia is turning the corner. Now on 3 May, you choose the way forward." Albanese earlier in the morning met the country's Governor-General Sam Mostyn to seek permission to formally call the election, as required by Australia's constitution. The governor-general represents Australia's head of state, Britain's King Charles. Albanese has announced a slew of measures aimed at pleasing families and businesses in recent months, including tax cuts in Tuesday's budget, with the rising cost of living in the country set to dominate the campaign.

On Friday, Albanese focused his campaign attack on the opposition Liberal and National coalition, saying it would axe government programmes and revoke modest new tax cuts passed by parliament. A close-run election could mean no single party or coalition of parties will be able to form a government on its own, instead relying on smaller parties and independents to command a majority in the country's lower house. Albanese, a long-time Labour lawmaker who grew up in government housing, has suffered from waning popularity as living costs and interest rates rose steeply during his tenure.

Falling inflation and the decision by Australia's central bank to cut interest rates for the first time in five years at its February meeting have done little to help Albanese's polling numbers. After enjoying a healthy lead for much of his term, his personal approval ratings are now close to those of Liberal leader Peter Dutton, a former police officer and the defence minister in the last Liberal-National government. Dutton has campaigned on a housing crisis that he says is putting home ownership out of reach, and on Friday he said cutting permanent migration by 25% will create more homes.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)