Yes, he has offered those crossbench senators who will likely be wiped out by a double-D the lifeline of passing the Australian Building and Construction Commission bill and his already twice-rejected registered organisations bill, but this is largely gestural. There is no realistic prospect that the bills will pass, and no real chance of amendment either.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announces he will recall a joint sitting of Parliament on April 18 and names his potential election date on Monday March 21. Credit:Andrew Meares

Indeed, passing them now would be seen as rank self-interest by those legislators on the crossbench so implacably opposed to the legislation to date.

In one fell swoop, the Prime Minister has taken control of a sea of floating imponderables, transforming uncertainty into certainty. That certainty is that Australia will indeed have an early budget, will indeed have an early election, and will indeed have that in the form of a double-D on July 2.

To his credit, Turnbull has declared enough is enough. As he said, the time for playing games is over.