How Australia got to a federal election

FEDERAL ELECTION: HOW WE GOT HERE

* Federal budget was brought forward a month to April 2

* Prime Minister Scott Morrison called an election for May 18

* 151 lower house members to be elected and 40 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, with seven minor party and independent members.

* Labor needs to gain at least 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.