MELBOURNE (Reuters – The Australian Prime minister Scott Morrison visited Canberra’s governor general on Sunday. He was reportedly set to call an election for the 21st of May, local media reports.

Governor General David Hurley is Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. His authorisation to disband parliament and call for a general election requires his authorization.

A poll cannot be conducted before May 31, unless there are term limits.

In opinion polls, Morrison’s center-right coalition trails the Labor party.

Morrison wrote an opinion piece establishing the scene for the election. He stated that despite all the challenges Australians faced over the past three years, including floods and fires as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, the country had performed better than other countries.

He said, “But I am aware that our country faces very real problems and that many families are struggling to make it through.”

Labor, he said, would lead to a weaker economy through higher taxes and larger deficits.

Morrison declared, “Now’s not the right time to do it.”

Anthony Albanese from Labor called on Morrison Saturday to hold the election.

He kept them waiting to see the vaccine rollout. They waited for the action on bushfires. They waited to help flood victims. He’s now keeping Australians waiting until he calls for the election,” Albanese said to reporters in Sydney.