Labor casts doubt on May election plan

Scott Morrison's plan for an April budget and May election is not set in stone, says Labor, as most voters urge the government to run full-term.

Labor frontbencher Brendan O'Connor has doubts the government will hold a federal election in May. (AAP)

Labor says the Morrison government's timetable for the next federal election is far from guaranteed.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has laid out a plan for a February parliament sitting and an April 2 budget - a month earlier than expected - followed by an election in May.

However, there is speculation the coalition could avoid what's expected to be a messy February sitting of the minority-held parliament and go to the polls in March, as initially planned by Malcolm Turnbull before he was dumped as Liberal leader.

The talk has been rekindled with assistant minister Andrew Broad's resignation over a scandal and decision not to contest the next election.

Labor frontbencher Brendan O'Connor said it was difficult to know what was going on in Mr Morrison's head.

"Scott Morrison - he's the thought-bubble boy of Australian politics," Mr O'Connor told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.

"All I know is this government is dysfunctional, it's divided, it doesn't have a plan for Australia's future and by way of comparison Bill Shorten and federal Labor, we are ready to govern.

"Whether (the election's) in February or March or April or May, Labor is ready."

An Essential poll published on Tuesday found 52 per cent of voters wanted the government to run full term, while 27 per cent backed an early poll and 21 per cent expressed no view.

The poll also showed 52 per cent of voters believe Labor will win the election, including 30 per cent of Liberal-National voters.