Anthony Albanese election master plan was one of the biggest victims, because tropical cycloon Alfred is sailing to Brisbane.
The prime minister was tipped to go to the polls on April 12 and requires an announcement on Sunday or Monday to allow the legally mandated at least 33 days of campaigns.
But with Alfred on the way to Queensland and Noord -NSW Coast who threatened lives and houses, he was suddenly forced to leave that plan on Friday.
“I don't intend to do anything that distracts from what we should do,” Mr Albanian told the ABC that evening.
'And what we have to do is to take care of each other at this difficult time. This is not time to look at politics. '
An admirable sentiment perhaps, but now it brings the prime minister into a dilemma, with Three alternative dates to choose from.
It also lets the government put down a pre-poll budget that he would have preferred to avoid.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will now probably splash the Red Ink in a prediction budget deficit on 25 March, just as the government is campaigning on its economic references.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (photo) was widely tipped to mention an election on Sunday or today before 12 April, because election laws determine a minimum 33-day campaign
But with Alfred Barreling in the direction of the coast of Queensland and Noord
The service of the eleventh hour means that politicians now have to campaign during Easter, Anzac Day and the school holiday when many voters are distracted, because a date of May now seems inevitable.
The prime minister will be happy to prevent these long weekends from being interrupted, so April 19, in the middle of the Easter weekend, or April 26, the day after Anzac Day, his unlikely election data.
That means that there are only three realistic dates that it could be: 3, 10 or 17 May – the last possible day it can be kept.
But 3 May is complicated by the fact that it is the magical round of the NRL, where all teams will play that weekend in Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, which means that all traveling fans must cast pre-poll-off ballot papers.
Since the magical round started in 2019, two federal elections have been held and on both occasions the sitting Prime Minister ensured that there was no date collision.
In 2022 PM Scott Morrison called the elections for the week after Magic Round, on 21 May and in 2019 Australians went to the polls the weekend for the Footy Extravaganza.
At the end of February, Mr. Albanese was asked whether the elections will take place on April 12 during the AFL collection Round in Adelaide, when the same problem with traveling fans would have surfaced.
A possible election date of 3 May is complicated by the fact that it is the magic round of the NRL where all teams will play in that weekend in Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium (depicted: Lachlan Galvin van de Tigers in action during the NRL round 11 match between the West -igers and the Redcliffe Dolphins last year)
“PM, just fast, you get this very much to ask, but you gather around and the elections, they can coincide …”, the reporter began.
But before they could end their question, the prime minister broke back: “It's so boring.”
“It's so boring. Collecting around is fantastic … what is boring, his questions about election stiming because I was asked for a year, “said Mr. Albanese.
He still has to be asked if the date will clash with Magic Round, but journalists can expect a similar answer.
That only leaves 10 and 17 May.
But May 10 is the day for Mother's Day, with some people expressing concern about the collision, because some families travel the Interstate to unite again.
It is still too seen when Mr. Albanese now will visit Governor-General Sam Mostyn to call the elections officially.
What is clear is that his choices narrow – and the decision is quickly taken out of control.
