Australians almost never vote out a first-term government. So why is this year’s election looking so tight?

By Pandanus Petter, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University

Now that an election has been called, Australian voters will go to the polls on May 3 to decide the fate of the first-term, centre-left Australian Labor Party government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

In Australia, national elections are held every three years. The official campaign period only lasts for around a month.

This time around, Albanese will be seeking to hold onto power after breaking Labor’s nine-year dry spell by beating the more right-leaning Liberal Party, led by Scott Morrison, in 2022.

Now, he’s up against the Liberals’ new leader,…

Read complete article

~	Step length, a devastating finish and ‘springs in his spikes’: the science behind Gout Gout’s speed

~	School phone ban one year on: our student survey reveals mixed feelings about its success

~	Art for art’s sake? How NZ’s cultural organisations can maintain integrity and still make money

~	Uncertainty and pessimism abound. Will fear be enough to push Dutton into office?

~	What are caretaker conventions and how do they limit governments during election periods?

~	Some Gen Zs are taking a ‘micro-retirement’. It’s one way to address burnout – but it comes with risks

~	‘It is a seriously difficult role and only getting harder’: school principals speak about stress, violence and abuse in their jobs

~	Show your working: how the ‘open science’ movement tackles scientific misconduct

~	Brisbane 2032 is no longer legally bound to be ‘climate positive’. Will it still leave a green legacy?

~	Labor gains lead in post-budget Newspoll; would be one seat short of majority in YouGov MRP poll