It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The Budget is tomorrow week, and Josh Frydenberg has spent much of the last week talking of the goodies that will rain down upon us.

But it’s also beginning to look a lot like a Christmas poll — or maybe something even earlier.

Saturday’s results in Tasmania would have cheered the federal government; given Liberal strategists hope they might hold the volatile seats of Bass and Braddon.

And we hear today that while Anthony Albanese is busy trying to sort out safe seats in Victoria, the New South Wales Liberals have declared nominations open for theirs.

The earliest date for a half-Senate, full House of Representatives election is August 7. That date looks a little early,…