How Australia gets to a federal election

FEDERAL ELECTION: HOW WE GET THERE

* With the budget brought forward to April 2, the prime minister is most likely to to outline whether the poll will be on May 11 or 18 by this Sunday.

* Once the governor-general issues writs for an election, the government is in caretaker mode. That means it can't make decisions without the acquiescence of the opposition.

* With the addition of a new ACT seat, 151 MPs will be elected along with and half of Australia's 76 senators.

* To win majority government either party needs to win 76 seats in the House of Representatives.

* The coalition goes into the election holding 74 lower house seats; Labor has 69.

* Labor needs to gain seven seats on a uniform swing of one per cent from the 2016 election. After a redrawing of electoral boundaries and the Wentworth by-election, the coalition starts notionally with 73 seats with Labor on 72.