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Whether the writs have been issued or not, we are in the throes of an election campaign. And it's a long-haul affair.
Not only does it involve 70-plus days of campaigning, but, this time, a budget has been thrown into the mix.
It's like one of those heart attack-inducing burgers that not only comes with several patties and 10 rashers of bacon, but onion rings as well.
Hence all the moaning, groaning and grumpy faces: there will be politicians everywhere we look. They will be on our TV screens, through our Facebook feeds and in our letterboxes.
And, at the end of all that, we will have to stand in line at our local primary school for about 15 minutes, spend $2 on a sausage and pick a few names . . . oh, the humanity.
Oh, the diva-sized overreaction.
It may be cool to act like elections are a horrible affliction we are forced to endure on a triennial basis. But really, we should be celebrating their arrival, not complaining.
Because they are as exciting as politics gets.
1. Yes, they are even better than a spill
Leadership contests are Big Kahunas, no doubt about it. They involve intrigue, number counting and ambitions dashed on the rocks of the party room.
However, an election is not just about the careers of a couple of MPs; everyone's job is on the line. From the big-hearted local member to the big-egoed minister, no one escapes the polling booth and the pendulum.
And the cumulative stakes could not be higher. One side gets the prestige, the power and the thousands of public servants to help do its work. Another gets oblivion and a painful internal party review about what went wrong.
2. The political menu is expanded
Elections are a bit like the Olympics. Instead of the bread and butter of political sport (i.e. Malcolm Turnbull v Bill Shorten in question time), they expose you to a raft of different competitions.
Just as you may find yourself suddenly captivated by the synchronised diving or the Greco-Roman wrestling in Rio, so, too, can the nation be drawn into intense boutique battles in, say, New England, Indi or Bennelong during an election.
The cast of characters is also vastly increased. Some of them are old hands (like Tony Windsor or Sophie Mirabella) trying to make a comeback. Others are new to the candidate game, such as Bronwyn Bishop's replacement in Mackellar, Jason Falinski. Which not only means we get more starry-eyed enthusiasm about politics, but . . .
3. The forecast for "interesting moments" gets a whole lot brighter
OK, yes, we mean gaffes.
Take the anti-schadenfreude high road if you like, but the fast-paced and scatter-gun nature of a campaign means wheels inevitably come off some buses. And when they do, it is spectacular.
Like when Liberal candidate Jaymes Diaz did an interview in 2013 and could not remember the six points of the Coalition's six-point plan to "stop the boats". Or when Tony Abbott answered "sex appeal" when asked about the similarities between candidate Fiona Scott and former MP Jackie Kelly.
Indeed, it's not just newborn candidates who run into strife. The fact that leaders are out interacting with the wider world also makes things more freewheeling, no matter how tightly the parties try to manage their campaigns.
This stuff doesn't happen when MPs are tucked safely away in Parliament.
4. We also get a blessed break from some of the most annoying political cliches
To avoid answering awkward questions, politicians love using tried and trusty sayings that we know – and they know – are complete baloney.
"We'll have more to say about our policy plans in the lead-up to the election", "we're just getting on with the job of governing", "I'll leave the commentary on matters like that to the commentators" and "the only poll that matters is on election day", are some of the junk lines that get trotted out.
However, an election means these frustrating smokescreens are made redundant.
You can't defer questions about your policies to the election campaign when you're in the campaign. And there's no point pretending you're all noble and governing-focused when you're fighting for your political life.
Just as you can't leave "commentary" about your future to the commentators if you've just been booted out of office. Or brush away the results of the Only Poll that Matters.
Speaking of which:
5. There's a poll that (temporarily) shuts everyone up
In between elections, so much effort is spent working out what voters think about things. Countless pollsters do countless polls. There are focus groups and analyses of what social media says and counter analyses that this is not important.
Journalists rant on about the merits of this government decision or that opposition strategy, while politicians busily tell us they know what voters want.
But come election day, there is something glorious and brutal about the fact people tick a few boxes and then a few hours later, we have an extremely reliable indicator of what Australians actually think.
It's almost as if there's something to this democracy thing.
