(Image: Private Media)
(Image: Private Media)

It used to be that the ability to call an election was one of the great benefits of incumbency for a prime minister. But for Scott Morrison — much like John Howard in 2007 — it doesn’t matter a whole lot if you’re a deeply unpopular leader and have to wait as long as possible before going to the polls in the hope the opposition implodes, voters change their minds or something, anything, turns up.

Morrison has now called the election for May 21, after being under growing pressure to put us all out of our misery — something he’s been unable to do because of the all-in brawl he himself started in the NSW Liberal Party, and because each day this week has brought forth yet another critic on his own side to call him a liar, a bully or a racist. Finally the weekend has provided some clear air for the trip to Yarralumla. But Morrison still has nearly two weeks for the NSW Liberal Party to get its act together.

This is the timetable now officially approved by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s representative for us to follow:

  1. Morrison asks the governor-general to dissolve Parliament. That’s now done.
  2. Dissolution — parliament (as in, both the House and the Senate) will be prorogued from 9.29 tomorrow morning (Monday) and the House of Representatives will be dissolved at 9.30am. That gives plenty of time for some more government decisions about spending money and making appointments.
  3. Writs for the election will be issued tomorrow April 11 for the House of Representatives, while the Governor-General will write to state governors proposing a half-senate election for each state.
  4. Electoral rolls will close on April 18.
  5. Nomination for seats and the half-Senate election will close on April 21 — giving both parties 11 days to finalise their picks.
  6. Then polling day on May 21.