Labor is prepared for the possibility of a December federal election even as the coalition indicates it plans to go full term.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese thinks it’s possible Prime Minister Scott Morrison will call an election for December 11 after returning from COP26 climate talks in Glasgow in November.
“We are ready for the campaign whenever it happens,” Mr Albanese told a caucus meeting on Tuesday.
Mr Morrison warned colleagues in a coalition partyroom meeting against focusing on political tactics over strategy.
“There’s a narrow path to victory and that it’s always narrow,” the prime minister said.
“It requires the discipline of all of us to stay on the path and focus on the things we need to.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told colleagues Australia’s economic recovery positioned the country well for an election “when the PM chooses”.
“It’s incumbent upon everyone here to talk about the things they’ve done over the full course of the full term, the work we’ve done with government,” Mr Frydenberg said.
An election must be held by May 2022.
The government is feeling more confident about the pandemic as lockdown restrictions ease in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra and the full national vaccination average nears 70 per cent.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce told colleagues he initially thought the government’s COVID-19 response would amount to a “draw”.
But the Nationals leader now considered it a “win”.
“Our response is something we can stand behind and talk about – that people’s lives were saved by the actions of government, businesses survived,” Mr Joyce said.
He stressed the need for MPs to spend time in their electorates talking to voters, and spoke about the plans for ministers to visit priority seats.
“We have the runs on the board,” Mr Joyce said, referencing states lifting their vaccination rates and borders starting to reopen.
AAP
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