Lara Giddings' announcement of a Tasmanian state election for March 15 sets up the first quarter of 2014 as something of an election fiesta for Australia.
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You may have sighed a sigh of huge relief when the clock ticked over on New Year's Eve, putting 2013 and all its electioneering firmly in the “last year” bin.
But 2014 is the new 2013 when it comes to elections.
The new year begins with a byelection in Kevin Rudd's old seat of Griffith on February 8.
They're already off and racing there. Today alone, we had Labor leader Bill Shorten campaigning in the seat, outrage over a Bill Glasson volunteer blocking a disabled spot and the Bullet Train Party posting spoof Kevin videos online.
Along with Griffith and Tasmania, South Australians will also vote in a state election on March 15.
And with the High Court currently considering what to do about the dud WA Senate result, there is a sporting chance there will be yet another vote out West in time for the new Senate to bump in on July 1.
On paper, the tide is coming in for the Coalition across the country.
Giddings and SA Labor Premier Jay Weatherill will have to fight hard and cross their toes to hang on to government.
Giddings on Thursday described herself as the proverbial underdog – and for good reason. The most recent EMRS opinion poll showed the ALP with just 22 per cent backing, compared to the Greens' 19 per cent, and the Liberals' 49 per cent.
In South Australia, Weatherill weathered a frosty Newspoll just before Christmas that had Labor at 33 per cent and the Liberal Party at 40 per cent.
So come the next COAG meeting in April, Prime Minister Tony Abbott could be blissfully facing Coalition governments all around the table, with the exception of Katy Gallagher's Labor government in the ACT.
(Although the full set of states may not last for long, with a one-seat margin in Victoria and a state election set for November 29.)
And yet, things aren't all cupcakes and rainbows for the Coalition in Canberra.
The week began with yet another opinion poll putting Shorten's Labor convincingly in front. Roy Morgan had Labor at 52.5 per cent two-party-preferred, compared to the Coalition's 47.5 per cent.
It would appear that the only honeymoon period Tony Abbott has had was with Margie in 1988.
No wonder Giddings was quick to frame her pitch to voters this afternoon around her opposition to Tony Abbott.
“We have an enemy before us called Tony Abbott, and the Liberal Coalition Government nationally, that is taking away reforms that we fought so hard for,” she said, nominating the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the National Broadband Network, health and education as key areas of concern.
Politicians are always at pains to stress that “the only poll that matters is election day”.
Lucky, then, that we have at least three such days coming soon to a polling booth near you.
