Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calls for major change to Australian political system amid campaign blitz

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for federal parliamentary terms to be extended from three years to four years during an interview on Sunrise on Tuesday.

Albanese appeared on the breakfast show for a wide-ranging interview with Monique Wright and Michael Usher, amid a campaigning blitz in Queensland ahead of this year’s federal election.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Michael Usher grills prime minister on Sunrise.

His push comes as a new Roy Morgan poll shows the Labor government is in strife, with the Coalition at 53 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote, and Labor at 47 per cent — down 1 per cent since Christmas.

During the interview, Usher suggested a number of potential dates for the election in a bid to get the prime minister to reveal when the nation would be heading to the polls.

But Albanese batted the speculation away.

“It will be May 17 (which would take the government to its full term) or before.

“We should have four-year fixed terms, like they do in most states and territories, to avoid these games (on election dates),” Albanese told Wright and Usher.

The prime minister was also grilled about the ongoing cost-of-living crisis

“Let’s do a snapshot of the economy,” Usher said.

“You need about $1 million to afford a house. Energy prices have gone up 14 per cent in the last 12 months. General insurance costs are up 16 per cent. There is no guarantee of a rate cut. Petrol is sitting around $2 a litre. Iron is down, and the dollar is weak. What are you worried about with the economy?”

Albanese appeared to attempt to campaign as he ignored the substance of the question.

“Well, globally inflation has had an impact here in Australia. We’re not immune from the global factors,” Albanese said.

“Inflation indeed hit overseas, hit double digits and the economy next door to us in New Zealand is in a deep recession. We avoided any quarters whatsoever of any negative growth. We have had a million jobs created. The first time that’s ever happened in a term of government,” Albanese said.

“We have real wages increasing ... that is wages are increasing by more than inflation in the last four quarters. So, things are heading in the right direction. But we understand and are certainly not complacent about it.

“That is why at each and every opportunity we have looked for ways to address cost of living, to address those pressures that are on families whilst putting that downward pressure on inflation and getting inflation with a two in front of it is something that’s been important.

“That’s why we’ve produced as well as two budget surpluses. Unlike the rest of the world, we have been in a fiscally prudent position by producing those two budgets. That’s why we’ve done it,” the prime minister said.

Usher pressed further, asking: “You will have to pull some fast levers to convince the electorate that they’re feeling better off because most people feel like they’re going backwards?”

“Under Labor, we will continue to build Australia’s future. Under the Coalition, we will go backwards under Peter Dutton and things will cost more. The only plan they have put forward is for nuclear reactors that will cost $1200 for every Australian more and Matt Canavan, a local senator here in Queensland, has said that is just a political fix.”

It was then Wright’s turn to ask about power prices.

“Let’s talk about power prices. You brought it up then. Three years ago, during the last election, you promised to lower the power prices by $275 by 2025. Is that going to happen?”

“What we’ve done is put in place $300 reduction in everyone’s power bills. That has had a real impact for people in reducing power bills here in Queensland,” Albanese replied.

Albanese trumpeted his work with the Coalition government of NSW and Queensland to put a cap on coal and gas prices, however, Usher pressed him.

“I mentioned before people feel like they’re going backwards. Yes, there’s some global influences but you have some levers to put cash back in people’s pockets but it’s not happening fast enough in time for your election,” Usher asked.

But Albanese said the government had avoided “cash splashes” as it would put pressure on inflation.

“We have done targeted measures like the reductions, the energy bill relief, cheaper childcare, like cheaper medicines,” Albanese said.

“Australians have saved over a billion dollars on cheaper medicines, the 60-day dispensing has made an enormous difference. Medicare urgent care clinics where people can get that assistance that they need.

“More than a million Australians have now visited urgent care clinics to get the care they need for free so we’ve strengthened Medicare whilst we’ve addressed cost-of-living pressures.

“We’ve been carefully designing the measures that we’ve put in place, so we continue to work on lowering that inflation figure. We have got it down from having a six in front to a two in front.”