In a few days the Prime Minister will make the customary drive to Government House in Canberra and ask the Governor General to call an election for mid or late May.
The start of the campaign will come hard on the heels of the Federal Budget handed down last night which included large tax cuts, new infrastructure spending, the promise of surpluses next year and beyond, and zero Commonwealth net debt by the end of the decade.
These are welcome and positive announcements – but they also rest on assumptions that the current housing downturn will be a moderate one and won’t drag on the Australian economy too heavily.
As we head into this election campaign, we’ll be urging the contenders for government of the need to bring a laser-like focus to the needs of this industry – to ensure the budget stays in black and our economy continues to grow, creating jobs and supporting prosperity.