If all the rumours tonight are true, then tomorrow morning Australia's first female Prime Minister will pay a visit to Australia's first female Governor-General to prorogue Federal Parliament and call for a general election (including half-senate election) on either August 21 or August 28.

As in 2004 and 2007 I'll be blogging the election campaign from a personal viewpoint, though with the added dimension this time around of immediate comment on Twitter. The ground rules are similar to those previous campaigns, though with the absence of the John Howard bogey. It will be a personal exploration of the election as I attempt to explain in public who I am voting for in Grayndler in the lower house, and for New South Wales in the Senate, and my reasons thereof - and of my observations of the national campaigns at large.

No pretence of neutrality on my part, though I aspire for clear-headedness throughout. My voting intentions will be laid out in public, along with any changes in mind along the way if and when they occur. As in 2004 and 2007 I will detail my voting on the day, and will lay out the policies which matter to me and those that I believe should matter to the nation.

This story will kick off in earnest once Julia has had her morning cuppa with Quentin. Feel free to bookmark www.rickeyre.com/blog/auselection2010.