Australian PM set to announce election date

Canberra has been home in numerous prime ministers since 2010, with Turnbull the latest to assume the nation's top political job when he deposed predecessor Tony Abbott eight months ago in a Liberal Party coup.

 

The 61-year-old conservative leader in March threatened to hold early general elections unless the Senate agreed to pass deadlocked legislation to overhaul unions, but critics accused him of using the trigger to call a poll amid waning public support.

 

Turnbull had previously tipped July 2 as the likely election date.

 

Both Turnbull, who heads up the ruling Liberal-National coalition, and Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten, a 48-year-old ambitious former union chief, are leading their parties to their first elections.

 

The latest opinion polls published by News Limited newspapers on Sunday showed the coalition and Labor neck-and-neck at 50-50.

 

The coalition used the annual federal budget on Tuesday to outline its campaign platform of boosting jobs and economic growth as Australia charts a rocky path away from its dependence on mining after an unprecedented resources investment boom.

 

Shorten has so far outlined Labor's push to lift support for services in health and education, a traditional campaign pitch for the left-leaning party.

 

Australia has had a revolving-door of prime ministers in recent years. After a decade of rule under conservative leader John Howard, Labor leader Kevin Rudd won elections in 2007.

 

He was ousted by Julia Gillard, the country's first female prime minister, in 2010, before being restored to power in 2013 amid bitter party infighting.

 

Just a few months later, Rudd lost elections to Abbott, who was then ousted by Turnbull last year.

- AFP