Albanese's Labor party won a majority at the last federal election in 2022, but most recent opinion polls show the party neck-and-neck with the opposition Liberal-National coalition when votes from smaller parties are redistributed.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese, who seeks a second three-year term in office, drove to governor-general Sam Mostyn's official residence on Friday to trigger the election. He later announced the date at a news conference at Parliament House.