Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called a Federal Election for 21 August, saying Australia faced a stark choice between “moving forward” with her Government or backwards under Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.
The announcement of the election date, which is the first to be held in winter for more than 25 years, will mean the parties have just a five-week election campaign to make their pitches to the electorate.
Gillard, who became Prime Minster just over three weeks ago after seizing the leadership from Kevin Rudd, has pledged to continue to push for change in areas such as health and education but has also put population growth and the economy squarely at the centre of campaign.
“Moving forward means moving forward to build a sustainable Australia, not a Big Australia,” Gillard said as she announced the poll date.
“Moving forward with a strong economy that offers families security, stability and fairness at work.
“The chance for people to get a job, keep a job, learn new skills and start their own business.”
Gillard also re-iterated her pledge to return the Federal Budget to surplus by 2013, and again said she would not go “on an election spend-a-thon” and says any spending commitment will be matched by savings so that “the Budget bottom line does not change by one cent.”
Gillard also took aim at Abbott, saying the Opposition’s “gaze is fixed on the rear view mirror, rather than the road ahead”.
She accused the Liberal leader of wanting to bring back the “worst aspects” of the WorkChoices industrial relations regime, and said he would oppose key reforms attached to the Government’s mining tax, including increased superannuation contributions.
“He even wants to stop small business getting the tax relief this Government would provide,” Gillard claimed.
According to polling company Newspoll, the two parties start this election campaign in a similar position to that after the last federal poll in 2007.
Labor has 52% of the vote on a two-party preferred basis, while the Coalition has 48%.
However, commentators say the removal of Kevin Rudd could cost the Government seats in Queensland, while the poor performance of the state Labor Government in New South Wales could also hurt the ALP at a Federal level.
James was the editor and publisher of SmartCompany and LeadingCompany for five years. He is now the Australian Financial Review‘s companies & markets editor, and a former BRW editor.
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