Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-10975360-20140530130134/@comment-32656-20140612133539

Was not a serious challenge, imo. Guy was nowhere close. Person in 1989 was just a member of the so-called "left" faction of the party. That he fled to the Liberals within a few years speaks volumes.

Keating's challenge did not weaken Hawke - made him stronger in the short term. Hawke was non-responsive to challenged by the opposition and the global situation, and that is what sank him. Keating himself has said that were it not for that, he could not have tried again, nor could anyone else.

Yes, you can. All of that "preparation" should be done by that point - not that it should have to be, it should already be done, and be waiting at any given time, no matter how close it is to an election. Nor is there any "obligatory" six week period. After the "writ" is dropped, seventeen working days need pass. That is it. So, the first Thursday after that? Election. About three and a half weeks, give or take.

Thus, call it in early March, election in late March.