A DATE has been set for the 2025 federal election. The election will be held on 3 May. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the election date at a press conference last Friday, 28 March.
Incumbent MP Jodie Belyea will contest Dunkley for Labor. Former mayor Nathan Conroy is the Liberal candidate. Robert Thurley and Andrew Gatley have declared their intention to run as independents. Matt Maber has been named as The Greens’ candidate, Jessica Davis will be One Nation’s candidate for Dunkley, and Family First will run pastor Peter Nicholes as its candidate.
Last Friday after calling the election, Albanese spruiked his future plans. “Take 20 percent off your student debt and cut taxes again and again for every taxpayer next year and the year after. Our top-up tax cuts will mean an average tax cut of more than $2500,” he said. “And only a vote for Labor is a vote for stronger Medicare. The biggest ever investment in bulk billing for all Australians, so you can see a GP for free wherever you live. Cheaper medicines, capping the cost of a PBS script to no more than $25. “Today, because of all the hard work that Australians have done, inflation is down, real wages are up, unemployment is low, interest rates are falling, and we’re cutting taxes for every taxpayer again. In challenging times, we have laid very strong foundations. We want to keep building.”
Opposition leader Peter Dutton returned serve later in the day during his budget reply, saying “we oppose these tax cuts and will repeal them – because we think there is a better way to provide assistance to Australians. “We will provide immediate cost-of-living relief for Australians. A Coalition government will halve the fuel excise for 12 months, and then we’ll review it, and we’ll make sure that that comes in on the first day that our Parliament sits,” he said. “A Coalition government will do three things. First, we will rein-in inflationary spending. Second, we will reduce the cost of energy. And third, we will strengthen the economy to work for you.”
First published in the Frankston Times – 1st April 2025