2013 Australian Federal Election Date Announced -Wednesday Jan 30,2013

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard(Leader of Labor Party and 27th PM of Australia) has announced this year's Federal Election will be held on September 14,2013 during a speech to the National Press Club

The election date Sep 14  coincides with Yom Kippur, the most holy day on the Jewish calendar.

Julia Gillard says she will advise Governor-General Quentin Bryce to issue writs on Monday, August 12 to dissolve the House of Representatives

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has welcomed the election date announcement and declared the Coalition ready to lead.

This will be the fifth federal election held in September (following 1914, 1934, 1940 and 1946)

The 1914 vote is the only September election to have seen an incumbent government defeated

The election is 226 days away. That's 5,424 hours. Or 325,440 minutes.

The official election campaign period will begin on Monday August 12,2013

 When she called the Federal Election in 2010, Julia Gillard used the phrase "moving forward" 24 times in five minutes.Julia Gillard did not use the phrase today,instead, Julia Gillard promised to make the next generation "stronger, fairer, smarter"

 In the 2010 Federal Election Julia Gillard was able to form a Minority Govt with the support of a Green Party MP and 3 Independent MPs, defeating the Liberal/National Coalition led by Tony Abbott 

The Australian Electoral Commission will employ 70,000 people across 8,000 polling places to run the election.
The Australian Electoral Commission is encouraging people to ensure they are enrolled to vote, given the election date has now been announced.
People who are 17 but will be 18 on or before September 14, can enrol now.