Julia Gillard announces 2013 election

In news just in, Julia Gillard has announced the date of the federal election: September 2013.

It's a surprise move: Gillard has broken with tradition by setting the election date months before the polling date - which essentially means a nine month election campaign.

"Time is not for wasting. So decisions have to be made about how we use our time this year," Gillard told the National Press Club in Canberra.

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Photo: smh.com.au