08 May 2016•Update: 11 May 2016
By Jill Fraser
MELBOURNE, Australia
Australia's prime minister has confirmed the country’s worst kept secret and called a federal election for July 2.
At mid-afternoon Sunday, Malcolm Turnbull officially launched the nation’s longest election campaign since the 1960s, announcing the first double-dissolution election since 1987.
There have only been six such elections -- which will see both houses of parliament dissolved Monday and all 150 House of Representatives seats and 76 Senate places up for election -- since the Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901.
It was triggered by a Senate deadlock April 18 that prevented the government pushing through two bills, the most significant of which would crack down on suspected union corruption in the building and construction sector.
In a televised speech accompanying the announcement, Turnbull vowed to re-establish a building industry watchdog if the coalition is voted back into power -- the twice-rejected legislation that triggered the double-dissolution.
He focused on "jobs and growth" and outlined a plan to return to a government that emphasised innovation and science, Australian industry and high tech jobs, and getting young people into jobs.
"These are exciting times. But we must embark on these times, embrace these opportunities, meet these challenges, with a plan and we have laid out a clear economic plan to enable us to succeed," he said.
Turnbull added that his government had set up the stage for strong trade with China and Asia and he reinforced the government’s tough immigration and refugee policy.
"Australians know that we will keep our borders secure," he underlined
"When we do so, as we have done so since we returned to government, what we do is underpin the confidence Australians have in a government that controls its own borders and a government that is able to manage an immigration system, a humanitarian program and build towards, as we have done so, the most successful multi-cultural society in the world."
Turnbull’s words fly in the face of human rights lawyers and refugee advocates who view Australia’s policy of processing asylum seekers refugee claims in offshore detention centres as harsh and inhumane.
