“see how matters develop in coming months before an election is called.”
On what basis do they call an election? Is there a certain time frame?
“A national general election must be held within three years of the first meeting of a new federal parliament. The average life of parliaments is about two-and-a-half years. In practice, general elections are held when the Governor-General (who is the Queen’s representative in Australia) agrees to a request from the Prime Minister, who selects the date of the election.”
If interested in other details of the Australian System of Government, take a look here:
http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/sys_gov.html
It must be called within 3 years and some months of the first sitting of the existing Parliment. And can be done so if the Prime Minister can convince the Goverenor General there is reason. The PM normally would have considerable latitude, but there is also a restriction that it should not ne called if a half-Senate (which is a fixed 6 year term) could be called within (i think 6) months. The Senate election cannot be more than 1 year before the new Senators will take their seats (in this case July 2011)
So the first requirement says before April 2011, The second says after July 2010. Complicating this are State elections being held in New Soth Wales and Queensland at fixed times bwteen those dates, and those Labor governments will not want the Federal Elections held at the same time for voters unhappy with Federal Labor will take it out on them as well.
This cuts it to a narrow window next year, or a reasonably broad one this year. The plan was for it to be after the Obama visit while Kruddy was still shining with reflected glory.
That's out now. So best guess is long enough for the voters to forget about Krudd, not long enough to learn about Julia. Probably September.