Don't expect to head to the polls yet: PM looks towards 2025 election

Mr Albanese's comments on Wednesday follow a tough second half of 2023 for Labor. Public support for the government dipped amidst the failed Voice to Parliament referendum and criticism over its handling of national security issues.

Asked whether there would be a federal election this year, the Prime Minister replied that it is due in May 2025, before going on to say that he supports longer, four-year parliament terms in line with each state and territory government.

"I think that our terms are too short with just three years," he said.

"There's been a couple of attempts to fix this in the past and it's very difficult to change.

"Our view, our long-term policy, and we've put it to the Australian people, is for four-year terms, but I don't anticipate that happening any time soon and I think that's unfortunate," Mr Albanese said, appearing to reference the unsuccessful 1998 referendum on the matter.

The latest Newspoll in December 2023 had the Coalition leading Labor on the primary vote, 36 per cent to 33 per cent, But the same poll saw the government regain its lead on a two-party preferred basis, leading the Coalition 52 per cent to 48 per cent.

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Mr Albanese said that his government would be focused on "governing during [this] year", with a priority of providing cost-of-living relief without contributing to inflation.

The Prime Minister said he had "asked Treasury and Finance to come up with further propositions [on this issue] that we'll consider in the lead-up to the May budget this year".