Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has thrown doubt on the likelihood of a September 7 election, saying he has "made no determination whatsoever" about the date and that he intends to attend a G20 meeting just days before.
Speculation had been building that Mr Rudd was planning to visit the governor-general on Sunday or Monday seeking approval for a September 7 election, shooting the starting gun on the keenly anticipated political contest.
But Mr Rudd said the government had yet to conclude negotiations with Victoria over schools funding, with Western Australia on Disability Care, and with NSW over new environmental assessment procedures.
"These three negotiations haven't reached a conclusion yet, so we have a few things to attend to yet," he told reporters in Brisbane on Saturday.
"So therefore on your question (about September 7), I've made no determination whatsoever in terms of the date of an election."
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If Mr Rudd decides on a September 7 election, it would need to be called by Monday to cover the minimum 33-day campaign period.
Whether Mr Rudd will attend the upcoming G20 leaders summit has also been a source of constant speculation, with the St Petersburg meeting being held just days before the predicted September 7 poll.
The meeting will be held on September 5 and 6, and Mr Rudd on Saturday said: "it's my intention to be in St Petersburg".
"But I'm very mindful also the challenges that lie ahead of us as well," he said.
"The dates concerning a particular election, which are outlined full well in our constitution as to when they could and couldn't be, such a determination hasn't been reached."
"I place enormous priority to the G20 and its agenda.
"At the same time I will always balance that against other considerations before us as well."
Australia will host the summit in 2014, in Mr Rudd's home town of Brisbane.
