Anthony Albanese fuels speculation of April election date after remaining coy on March Budget

Anthony Albanese has refused to commit to delivering his Government’s next budget as planned in March, fuelling speculation he intends to call an April election.

In a wide-ranging interview on Australia Day, the Prime Minister was pushed over the election timing, and the proposed Federal Budget, set to be delivered on March 25.

With support for Labor dropping, insiders have speculated Mr Albanese may opt for an April election, instead of the latest possible date of May 17, in order to avoid handing down a budget in tough economic conditions.

Asked on Sky News on Sunday about the timing, the Prime Minister responded: “the Budget’s scheduled for March 25”.

Pushed on whether that meant the Government was not planning on delivering the budget, Mr Albanese doubled down.

“Well, it’s scheduled. We’re working through, the ERC met this week. We’re working through the proposals that will form a part of that Budget,” he said.

“Mine is a government that works each and every day because the challenges that we face on the economy, as well as delivering, making sure that the economy isn’t viewed as something that’s separate from people.”

Amid the falling polls and Labor’s unsteady position going into the election year, Mr Albanese said his job was not just to stand on his record, but to deliver a vision for Australia’s future.

“I’ve been underestimated my whole life,” he said.

“There are a lot of stories before the 2022 election that were along those lines as well.

“What I’m confident of is that I lead a Government that’s focused, that’s orderly, that has seen Australia through some very difficult economic times, that we are heading in the right direction, and that we have an agenda to build on that in our second term.”

Asked about his purchase of a $4.3 million home in NSW’s Central Coast last year with fiance Jodi, Mr Albanese denied the Copacabana property was a sign his three-decades long run in politics was due to end.

“Around about this time last year, on February 14, I proposed to Jodie,” he said.

“I’ve met someone I want to spend the rest of my life with, and what happens when people make that decision, if they’re in a position to, they go and get a mortgage together.

“And it’s mortgaged, and I sold another property, a property that I had in order to assist with that, so that down the track … we can have somewhere close to where Jodie grew up, where Jodie’s parents and family all are.

“And it wasn’t a political decision. It was very much a personal one.”

Mr Albanese also said he thought people understood his time in politics would end.

“We won’t be here in 20 years’ time,” Mr Albanese said.

“We will not spend our later years in the same house where Carmel and I, my first wife, the mother of my son — our son, Nathan — where we raised Nathan and where we lived as a family.

“Life is complex. People have real relationships that matter.

“I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have met Jodie, someone I want to spend the rest of my life with and we … have made this decision as well … to buy somewhere together for down the track.”