Peter Dutton says Anthony Albanese may use early election to avoid presenting cost-of-living crisis Budget

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton claims Anthony Albanese will call an early election to avoid presenting what could be a challenging Budget amid a cost-of-living crisis.

As the Prime Minister declared his $8.5 billion Medicare plan as the “beating heart” of his campaign on Sunday in the marginal Tasmanian seat of Bass, speculation is mounting about when he will call the election.

Speaking in Queensland, Mr Dutton said that if the PM fired the starting gun before the March 25 Federal Budget, it would prove he was “running scared” because “he doesn’t have a good story to tell”.

“If he’s running to an early election to get away from delivering a budget, you know that he’s hiding the numbers,” Mr Dutton said.

“You know that he has no good story to tell about the achievements of this Government over the last three years.

“I suspect the Prime Minister doesn’t want to go to a Budget and it’s because this Government has been a disaster for families in housing, in cost of living, in health and many other areas.

“I think the onus is on the Prime Minister to make sure the Parliament sits as scheduled and we can legislate to provide a guarantee around this funding, which is important for general practice.

“And that is something we would support, and we’re happy to sit down and help draft the legislation with the Government.

“If the Prime Minister is not running scared from a budget, then parliament is scheduled to sit within a couple of weeks, and that’s when this legislation can be presented and passed.”

Labor insiders believe that an April 12 Federal election is firming up, with Mr Albanese considering making an announcement straight after the WA election on March 8.

Once the writ is issued by the Governor-General, it means the Government would go into what’s known as “caretaker mode” — pushing back ordinary business such as a Budget.

Mr Albanese’s Tasmania event marked the third campaign-style rally he has held since November — the previous two were used to announce slashing of student debts and a three-day childcare guarantee.