Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to call the election as Labor tries to upstage Opposition Leader Peter Dutton wooing voters in his budget reply speech.
The last sitting day of parliament before the election was held on Thursday amid growing speculation Mr Albanese will visit the governor-general on Friday to make it official.
Labor will attempt to draw attention away from the economic pitch Mr Dutton will deliver on Thursday night.
With a minimum of 33 days needed for a federal election campaign, the earliest the poll could be held is May 3 and the latest is May 17.
In Question Time, the government pointed to its proposed tax cuts unveiled in Tuesday's budget and other cost-of-living relief measures including cheaper medicines.
Greens MP Stephen Bates asked Mr Albanese why he had invited US President Donald Trump to Australia, when the parliament already had its knock-off "Temu Trump" version in Mr Dutton.
"The United States president will always be welcome in Australia," the prime minister responded.
Australia failed to secure an exemption from tariffs worth 25 per cent on its steel and aluminium, with further duties flagged for other products.
Mr Albanese said he will continue to stand up for the national interest, including the pharmaceutical benefits scheme which has been dragged into the trade dispute as US companies want to sell drugs at a higher price.
"If you compare our health system with the American health system ... no matter how wealthy you are or no matter how poor you are, you have access to proper health care," he said.
"That's something we should be proud of."
The election date speculation comes after the federal budget was handed down on Tuesday, centred on a $10 a week tax cut for all workers from 2027.
Mr Dutton announced in response that the coalition would cut the fuel excise for a year, claiming it would save $14 a week at the petrol pump.
Mr Albanese told radio station Triple M on Thursday the election would be called "pretty imminently", but did not confirm when the polling date or when he would visit the governor-general.
"I will call it soon," he said.
"Australians want to get on with it, certainly my caucus colleagues do."
The department of Prime Minister and Cabinet accidentally posted to social media platform X that the federal government was in caretaker mode, before quickly deleting the post.
Caretaker mode happens once the federal election is called and parliament is dissolved.
