Albanese and Dutton have just gained something they both desperately need

Which side has an answer? So far, neither. Labor offers platitudes, the Liberals offer complaints. Australia needs more ideas that will lift growth, add to household wealth and build a stronger nation. Where are they?

Australia also needs to toughen security when US President Donald Trump is weakening alliances that delivered decades of prosperity. China added urgency to that question by sending three ships around the Australian coast. Can the tax system sustain an increase in defence spending?

The March 25 budget forces attention on these questions. It gives Treasurer Jim Chalmers the chance to outline a coherent economic plan after the heavy Labor emphasis on spending policies so far this year. Whatever the merits of the $8.5 billion plan for Medicare, it does not expand the nation’s capacity to pay for essential services.

The budget also requires Dutton to address a glaring Coalition weakness: the absence of a compelling policy to lift growth. His most recent idea, a tax break on business lunches, was lightweight. Will he fill the vacuum in his budget reply on March 27?

While it is true that Dutton has made a bold move with his plan for nuclear power, the policy is plagued by doubts about the mammoth cost and lengthy building delays. Yes, the two major parties are vastly different on climate change. Neither energy plan, however, is a blueprint for productivity growth and economic revival.

So the election is a long way from being a contest of ideas.

Opinions differ on whether Albanese wanted a budget. He kept his options open, with tricky language at times, so the media speculation took off. In the end, his statement on Friday was completely in line with his stated plan from December. The problem? By waiting until Friday night to declare his intentions, he made it look like he was reluctant to issue a major economic statement.

Could Labor have raced to victory by skipping the budget? The West Australian election at the weekend is, on paper, a good sign for Albanese. The state Labor machine demolished the Liberals in the Perth suburbs that overlap with key federal electorates, which means Albanese and his team are in a good position to hold their ground.

When Labor applies the state outcome to its federal calculations, it looks on track to retain Tangney and Pearce and is the favourite in the new seat of Bullwinkel.

But history shows that Australians can reward one side of politics in their state and sweep another to victory in Canberra. The most powerful factors in the federal campaign, at this stage, are the gains for the Liberals on the east coast.

Loading

Crucially, the state result does not reveal how voters rate Albanese and Dutton on the national challenges that lie ahead. Only the federal result can do that.

This is the advantage of a March 25 federal budget. It should force a national reckoning on the problems before our eyes. It may not do this, of course, but Albanese and Dutton should not be given any excuses for missing the moment.

The two leaders have gained more time. They should use it well.