Australian Prime Minister Calls General Election for May 3

CANBERRA — Australia will hold a general election on May 3, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday, ratifying a showdown over climate action, nuclear power and a runaway housing market.

Albanese’s centre-left Labor party came to power in May 2022, kicking out a conservative administration that had become deeply unpopular after nearly a decade in power.

But Albanese, 62, who swept into office last May, has seen his initial popularity fade in recent months as his government approaches the end of its three-year term.

Polls have him running neck-and-neck with the right-leaning Peter Dutton, 54, a hard-nosed former detective who wants to clamp down on immigration and overturn a ban on nuclear power.

“In uncertain times, the world has thrown a lot at Australia over the last few years,” the prime minister told reporters.

Australia is making the turn because of the strength and resilience that our people have shown.” Now, you opt for a path forward on May 3.’

Albanese said he was “born ready” to tackle climate challenges, tariff turmoil and inflation’s long tail.

And he cautioned any foreign enemies considering interfering in the election campaign to “back off.”

Coal mining-superpower Australia is deciding between two candidates who have starkly different views on climate change and reducing emissions.

Albanese’s government has embraced the worldwide push for decarbonisation, cautioning in what was once a revenue-raising iron ore and polluting coal exports-fuelled economy that trade glories wouldn’t save the future.

His election catchcry was “building Australia’s future” — an agenda that features big subsidies for renewable energy and green manufacturing.

Earlier this week, the government used an annual government budget to announce surprise tax cuts, at the same time pouring money into traditional Labor priorities like education and health care.

Dutton’s contrasting slogan is “Getting Australia back on track.”

Dutton’s pet project is a US$200 billion plan to build seven industrial-scale nuclear reactors, which eliminates the need for a ramping up of renewables.

And he has promised to cut immigration by 25 percent and impose “stricter caps” on the number of foreign students studying in Australia.

Polls suggest that economic issues like the high cost of housing will dominate the contest.

Inflation, however, has fallen under a Labour government and fell from a dizzying 7.8% in 2022 to 2.4% in December, but for many households expensive food, petrol and electricity has become a way of life.

They both vowed to address an overheated housing market.

Two of its biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne now rate in the world’s 10 least-affordable housing markets, according to the annual Demographia affordability index.

‘Not a monster’

Albanese has devoted most of his adult life to politics, climbing through the ranks of the Labor Party from a working-class background.

He likes indie music and has a shaggy cavoodle called Toto and once declared that “fighting Tories” was his calling.

Dutton, a former drug squad detective, is widely considered a no-nonsense political “hardman”.

His success will depend, in part, on efforts to change this image and expand his appeal.

A tabloid newspaper once quoted Dutton’s wife as saying her misjudged husband was “not a monster”.

A seasoned minister in the former conservative government, Dutton had held heavy portfolios, including defence and home affairs.

But as Australia’s immigration minister, he was widely attacked for his unrelenting approach toward asylum seekers.

Independents day

Albanese’s left-leaning Labor Party and Dutton’s right-leaning Liberals have long dominated Australian politics.

But a rising discontent among voters has emboldened independents demanding more accountability and climate action.

Polls indicate 10 or more crossbenchers who don’t consider themselves to be aligned could hold the balance of power – creating a strong possibility of a rare minority government.

The two major parties are largely aligned on defence and national security, pledging Australia into an ever closer military partnership with the United States.

But they have had different views on China in the past.

Albanese has stepped up engagement with the key trading partner of China, making a breakthrough trip to Beijing in 2023, the first Australian leader to visit in seven years.

The previous conservative government was very critical of China, initiating a trade war that cost Australia billions of dollars until it tapered off late last year.