Teals attend The Lodge to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese months out from potential Federal election

Anthony Albanese has begun the charm offensive on the women who could help him hold on to power, summoning the teal MPs to the Lodge for the first time in what is likely to be the last chance to win them over before the election.

The MPs, including Western Australia’s Kate Chaney, the independent for Curtin, were surprised to receive the unexpected last-minute invitation to the Prime Minister’s residence for evening cocktails.

None of the climate activists — who were all swept into Parliament under the teal banner in 2022 — had previously been welcomed to Mr Albanese’s Canberra home.

Polling shows the Prime Minister will likely — in the best-case scenario for him — be left with no choice but to win over support from crossbenchers in order to form a minority government after the poll, which is due by May.

Ms Chaney and her east coast teal colleagues Allegra Spender, Zoe Daniel, Kylea Tink, Zali Steggall, Helen Haines, Sophie Scamps and Monique Ryan were snapped by a photographer as they quietly turned up at the Lodge on Tuesday night.

Also in attendance were other independents including Dai Le, Andrew Gee and Rebekha Sharkie.

Some of the teals themselves are in a battle to hold on to their formerly Liberal Party-held seats and would surprise many of their constituents if they were to help Labor form government.

Victorian MP Ms Daniel told The Australian at the secretive drinks session that she would continue to work in “good faith”.

“Genuine good faith engagement with both sides is really important . . . it’s been important for the last three years, it will continue to be important,” she said.

Speculation remains rife as to what deals the Prime Minister may need to make in the event he does not win a majority government in this year’s Federal election.

If he is not able to form a government in his own right, he may be forced to make a deal with the crossbench such as the teal independents or the Greens.

Labor holds 77 seats in the House of Representatives, meaning if they only lose a few seats they will need to rely on crossbench support to pass their agenda.

The Government does not currently have a majority in the Senate, with the Greens holding the balance of power, leading to a number of prolonged stand-offs on key election issues, such as housing.

The teal independents are not a party and do not vote as a block, but often represent similar viewpoints from electors in blue-ribbon seats which were disillusioned by the Morrison government in 2022, meaning they may be easier to work with than the Greens.

Mr Albanese told the National Press Club he would not enter into any coalitions, but did not rule out a less formal deal.