Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull revealed earlier in the week he would be soon visiting the Governor-General to call the election.

It’s likely to occur over the weekend and we’ll be then full speed towards the July 2 vote.

It’s set to be a long, long, long campaign.

The Illawarra region watched the Federal budget be handed down during the week with nothing for us in the way of infrastructure funding.

It wasn’t a surprise.

This region deserves more.

Speaking to the Illawarra Mercury at the Illawarra Business Chamber’s federal budget lunch, Throsby MP Stephen Jones was sounding bullish about his party’s chances at the ballot box.

It was on the back of a strong performance by his leader Bill Shorten in this budget reply during the week.

“Bill showed last night he had the passion and the hunger to win this,” Mr Jones said on Friday.

“I’m confident this election’s in play, even around the Illawarra there are seats in play.

``I think it can be won for Labor.”

Prepare yourself though to be bombarded as the mad scramble for the hearts and minds of voters begins and our Federal candidates all compete for the limelight.

With a Federal poll looming there has been another kind of poll making headlines locally too.

On Saturday (May 7) the municipality of Kiama will hit the polls to have their say over the proposed merger with the Shoalhaven City Council.

If any municipality has made a strong case against merging it’s been the Kiama community.

They’ve run a strong and effective community campaign.

The Illawarra Mercury has already reported the strong rumours are that Kiama will most likely be safe.

Nothing in life is certain, but a strong result in the community poll would certainly help in that case.

It’s likely the State Government’s decisions in relation to council mergers will be made clear as early as this week.

It’s like the merger of the Wollongong and Shellharbour mergers will go ahead paving the way for the formation of a greater Illawarra council.