Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has suggested he’d be prepared to call a double dissolution election if the coalition successfully blocks key aspects of his second budget.
Turnbull said he’s ready for an early election.
“The only person that’s not ready is Rudd,” Turnbull told ABC Radio.
“He is not ready to face the Australian people at a time when the full consequences of his incompetence and recklessness have sunk in.”
He said the prime minister was “terrified” that the community was waking up to what he’d done to the economy.
“He is going to cut and run to an election before he’s found out by the people.”
On Thursday, Turnbull offered to replace the forecast A$1.9 billion in savings that would come from paring back access to the private health insurance rebate with a 12.5 percent increase in the tobacco excise.
