Anthony Albanese has dismissed speculation that he will call a snap election as his government is accused of a multi-million pound advertising spend.
The Prime Minister has continued to ignore rumors that he will go to the polls early as speculation grows over the timing of the next federal election.
Albanese has pledged to tackle Australia’s cost of living crisis head-on before running for a second term with inflation high on Labor’s agenda.
‘We have elections scheduled for 2025, but there is still a long way to go. Now we’re two-thirds of the way there,” he told Daily Telegraph.
“We will be focused on the re-election campaign next year, when we get to it, but our immediate task is to get the job done and reduce inflation.”
Anthony Albanese has dismissed speculation that he will call an early election as his government is accused of spending “multi-million pound” on advertising.
Albanese has continued to ignore rumors that he will go to the polls early as speculation grows over the timing of the next federal election (pictured, a traffic controller in Sydney).
Albanese admitted it had been “difficult” to craft a budget that would provide immediate relief to Australians without exacerbating high inflation.
“It is difficult to get a budget under the current economic circumstances,” he said.
‘We had to make sure we produced a second surplus, we were determined to do that to put that downward pressure on inflation.
“So there are some specific measures, like increased rental assistance, but that was the focus we had: that focus on inflation.”
The next elections will be held within a year if Albanese seeks a full term.
Queenslanders will hold a state election in October this year, while Western Australians will go to the polls in February 2025.
In January, following the defeat of the Voice referendum, Albanese distanced himself from holding a Republican referendum for a second term, if re-elected.
‘I committed to a referendum. We held it. It was not successful and I think it was disappointing,” said Mr Albanese.
Up to $10 million will be spent to boost Labour’s new vehicle efficiency standards (pictured)
It comes as the Albanian government is accused of spending hundreds of millions of dollars on taxpayer-funded advertising campaigns.
A total of $172 million will be spent promoting a range of government initiatives across a range of portfolios as Australians battle a cost of living crisis.
The government will spend $45 million to boost its Future Made in Australia policy, while $40 million will be spent promoting the third stage of tax cuts.
Up to $10 million will be spent to boost Labour’s new vehicle efficiency standards, while a further $10 million will raise awareness of the transition to net zero.
Another $15 million will be spent over three years to provide migrants with information on workplace protections, safeguards and compliance.
Advertisements about the new vehicle efficiency standards are already being broadcast on television and radio and have been translated into Cantonese, Mandarin, Arabic and Vietnamese.
Coalition spokesman for government waste reduction, James Stevens, accused the Albanian government of a “multi-million dollar expenditure”.
He said Labor was focusing on the “wrong priorities”.
“When Australian families are having a hard time, their budget reveals they are currently spending many millions of dollars on government advertising,” he said.
“Australian families remember when the Prime Minister criticized government advertising when he was in opposition.”
Albanese has pledged to tackle Australia’s cost of living crisis head-on before running for a second term with inflation high on Labor’s agenda.
Labor to spend $40m on advertising to promote stage three tax cuts (pictured)
Albanese previously accused then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison of being “addicted to spending taxpayers’ money as if it were Liberal Party money”.
He added: “The government advertisements you see on television, promoted by the Liberal and National parties, are paid for by taxpayers.”
Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers defended the advertising spend, saying it was important the public was informed about the impending changes.
“Some of these changes we’re contemplating are big, substantial changes,” he previously told The Guardian.
“I think it’s not unreasonable or unusual to responsibly communicate this to people.”