Australians look certain to head to the polls in May, with Scott Morrison announcing the federal budget would be delivered in April.
Mr Morrison would not disclose the exact date of the election, but May 11 or 18 look most likely, given Easter and school holidays in April.
The news comes after his power has been further diminished by backbencher Julia Banks quitting the Liberal Party, with the government now only holding 74 of 150 House of Representative seats.